Most Americans favor letting illegal immigrants become citizens, poll finds (criminals excluded)

LA Times ^ | 6/12/07 | Janet Hook

[BurbankKarl]

A strong majority of Americans — including nearly two-thirds of Republicans — favors allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens if they pay fines, learn English and meet other requirements, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found.

That is a striking show of support for the central tenet of legislation that has stalled in the Senate amid vocal opposition from conservatives to provisions allowing such a path to citizenship.

Only 23% of adults surveyed opposed allowing immigrants to become legal. That bolsters the view, shared by President Bush, that the bill's opponents represent a vocal minority, whereas most people are more welcoming toward illegal immigrants.

"They are willing to take jobs that our people aren't interested in, and I think this helps the economy," Joseph Simpkins, a retired dry cleaner in New Jersey who participated in the survey, said in a follow-up interview. "As long as they pay taxes, I see nothing wrong with having them become citizens

...(buried at bottom)

The survey question specified that, under the proposal, citizenship would be available only to those who register their presence in the U.S., have no criminal record, pay a fine, get fingerprinted and learn English, among other requirements.

[BurbankKarl]

If you read the entire article, you can see they left out the part about criminal behavior in the first section, and included it further down the page that people may not reach.

If a senate bill was passed that excluded felons from amnesty, I think most Freepers would be more encouraged....but the Cornyn amendment that did exactly that was defeated just last week.

[Wheee The People]

This American doesn’t favor that.

[Lexington Green]

bunco

[VR-21]

Los Angeles Times.

[pillut48]

[condo_living_is_nice]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Not This American, dammit!

[Unicorn]

That poll sounds like bullshit.

[Obie Wan]

First of all,I think the story’s crap.Secondly I don’t want a compromise bill,I want a fence built and illegal immigrants deported when they are caught !!!

[rabscuttle385]

What a steaming pile of bovine excrement.

[P-40]

In other words, Americans would be in favor of it *if* certain things occurred which will not in fact occur, no matter what the text of the law.

[popdonnelly]

Bull.

[lowbridge]

A strong majority of Americans — including nearly two-thirds of Republicans — favors allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens if they pay fines, learn English and meet other requirements, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found.

Hey, LA Times. You expect us to believe this? This is really clumsy propaganda. You can do much better.

[Recovering_Democrat]

We TRIED THIS 21 years ago...did the poll mention that??!!?

[Man50D]

If a senate bill was passed that excluded felons from amnesty, I think most Freepers would be more encouraged

I would be encouraged if they enforced our existing immigration laws instead of neglecting to enforce them. Why does anyone think they will enforce anymore immigrant related laws if they don't do so with the immigration laws currently on the books?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

They never asked me!

[Pro-Bush]

LA Slimes

[suffering_fools]

wrong

Deport ALL Illegal Aliens NOW.

period

end of story

[Gene Eric]

>> Hey, LA Times... You can do much better.

Uhhh, no they cannot.

[Ikemeister]

I don’t believe any LA Times/Bloomberg or CBS/NY Times Poll.