Posted on 05/25/2007 7:59:13 AM PDT by new yorker 77
A New York Times/CBS News poll released yesterday found that 69% of American adults believe illegal immigrants should “be prosecuted and deported for being in the U.S. illegally.” Just 24% disagree and say they should not. The survey of 1,125 adults was conducted May 18-23, 2007.
Ultimately, while supporting prosecution, the poll shows that just 33% of Americans believe that most illegal aliens should actually be deported. Sixty-two percent (62%) say that most illegal aliens who have been here at least two years should be “given a chance to keep their jobs and eventually apply for legal status.” Giving them a chance to keep their jobs is a continuation of the status quo requiring no change in policy.
Eighty-two percent (82%) of those surveyed believe the federal government could be doing more to “keep illegal immigrants from crossing into this country.” Only 14% said “the U.S. is doing all it can reasonably be expected to do along its borders.” Sixty-one percent (61%) consider illegal immigration a Very Serious problem for the United States. Seventy-five percent (75%) favor higher fines and increased enforcement of employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens.
The attitudes are consistent with virtually all other polling on the issue. Rasmussen Reports data released Wednesday showing that 72% of Americans say it’s Very Important for the U.S. to “improve border enforcement and reduce illegal immigration.” By a 2-to-1 margin (60% to 28%), Americans believe it is more important to gain control of the nation’s borders than to “legalize the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States.”
Underlying these attitudes, the New York Times/CBS News survey found that 53% of American adults believe most recent immigrants to the United States “cause problems.” Just 32% say they contribute to this country. Sixty-two percent (62%) believe the immigrants don’t make enough of an effort to learn English (that’s one reason most Americans support making English the nation’s official language).
Like Rasmussen Reports, the New York Times/CBS News survey found that concerns about illegal immigration do not dampen enthusiasm for legal immigration. According to the Times, 24% believe all immigrants should be welcomed while 48% believe “some” should be welcomed. Rasmussen Reports has consistently found majority support for an immigration policy that welcomes all except national security threats, criminals, and those seeking to live off the U.S. welfare system. In fact, even among those who favor enforcement-first reforms, a majority ultimately supports a welcoming immigration policy.
The New York Times/CBS News did not specifically ask about the immigration bill currently being considered in the Senate. However, in the article written about the poll, the Times states “large majorities expressed support for measures contained in the legislation.”
The survey found, for example, that 67% would allow illegal immigrants to “apply for a four-year visa… as long as they pay a $5,000 fine, a fee, show a clean work record, and pass a criminal background check.” That, too, is similar to a Rasmussen Reports survey which found 65% support for a compromise proposal allowing illegal aliens a “very long path to citizenship” provided that “the proposal required the aliens to pay fines and learn English” and that the compromise “would truly reduce the number of illegal aliens entering the country.” The proposal, specifically described as a compromise, was said to include “strict employer penalties for hiring illegal aliens, building a barrier along the Mexican border and other steps to significantly reduce the number of illegal aliens entering the United States.”
However, while 65% were willing to support such a compromise, only 26% support the legislation currently before the Senate.
The gap between the 65% potential support for a compromise and the 26% actual support for the Senate bill is due to two factors. First, the debate in the Senate has focused on how to legalize the status of illegal aliens. For most Americans, that’s missing the point (just 29% of American voters see legalizing the status of illegal aliens as a Very Important issue).
Second, there is enormous skepticism about the government commitment to enforcing the borders (as the Times survey noted, only 14% believe the government is doing all it can at this time). To most voters, immigration reform is all about border control. Until voters are convinced that the enforcement is both real and effective, there will be no popular support for reform.
Like all other polls by the media, this one is biased to the left. It probably should be 96%
The is a little more believable than the last one posted here. Still low I think though.
It’s the second graph in the piece that tell’s the tale of this poll.
Our rulers no longer care what we think.
I cannot imagine the mindset of a person that, given the charge of the well-being of this country, can ignore such statistics and the will of the people. What degree of arrogance, elitism and narcissism does it take ???
You just have to wonder if there is an underlying attempt to sandbag everyone with these startlingly conflicting polls....OTOH, I pay zero attention to them so who cares?
She also pointed out that those polled were given only 2 options - deport or stay. Also, we don't even know who they polled. Illegals, registered voters? It doesn't say.
bump
More like 90%. The wacky fringe is a bit bigger than you suspect.
I don’t care what the poll numbers are, it’s very likely this amnesty package will pass.
Seems our so-called leaders don’t really care what we, the voters, think.
Too bad the gutless slugs in Washington, who live and die by the polls, can’t seem to grasp THIS ONE.........
Nothing to see here. Move along folks.
I never hear anyone in the pro-illegal immigrant camp propose an increase in INS personnel to speed up the volume of legal immigrants. To me that proves that the real goal is slave labor.
Hmmm.
I think it takes fear of Mexico going the way of Venuzuela, combined with an economy addicted to cheap, unskilled labor and a hope that illegals will contribute enough to keep Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare afloat a little longer.
That, and a bunch of good, large bribes.
I'm shocked that the left wing MSM actually ran this story. It must have put the editors into fits. No wait, its a long weekend coming up, the senior staff is on vacation, this must me the work of a "inexperienced" junior editor. LOL
Well no sh-t, click it or ticket. Remember?
Thanks for posting. Seems like the NYT really tried to slant it towards illegals....but oh just couldnt....,uch to the dismay of McKennedy Martinez-Graham
I guess I'm one of the 67% who thinks they should NOT be deported.
Why? Because deportation requires spending Taxpayer Dollars! Rather, I think those who employ and rent apartments to them should be prosecuted and fined!
With nowhere to work, and nowhere to live, the Illegals will DEPORT THEMSELVES!
The source is Rasmussen.
The Slimes, AP, Yahoo buried these numbers behind LIAR headlines.
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