Poll: Voters Want Smaller Steps to Immigration Reform With Focus on Enforcement

Rasmussen Reports ^ | June 13, 2007

[Rick_Michael]

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Just 20% of American voters want Congress to try and pass the immigration reform bill that failed in the Senate last week. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 51% would like their legislators to “take smaller steps towards reform” while 16% believe they should wait until next year. The survey was conducted on Monday and Tuesday night as the President was publicly attempting to rally support for the legislation.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of voters would favor an approach that focuses exclusively on “exclusively on securing the border and reducing illegal immigration.” Support for the enforcement only approach comes from 84% of Republicans, 55% of Democrats, and 69% of those not affiliated with either major party.

Overall, just 21% are opposed to the enforcement-only approach.

Just 30% would favor legislation that focused “exclusively on legalizing the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States.” Fifty-seven percent (57%) oppose that strategy, including 63% of Republicans, 52% of Democrats, and 55% of unaffiliated voters.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) favor a proposal giving “all illegal aliens up to three years to leave the United States. After leaving, the illegal aliens would have to get in line and wait their turn for legal entry into the United States.” Support for that concept comes from 67% of Republicans, 49% of Democrats, and 56% of unaffiliated voters.

The Senate immigration reform bill that failed last week was far more popular in Congress than among the American people. It was strongly opposed by a cross-section of the nation’s voters. At the end, just 23% of voters favored the legislation.

When the immigration debate dominates the news, the President’s Job Approval ratings generally tumble. This week is no exception. The morning after a much publicized lunch meeting aimed at encouraging Republican Senators to vote for the “comprehensive” reform measure, the President’s Job Approval fell to 33%. That matches the lowest level recorded to this point in time.

Arizona Senator John McCain (R) has also been hurt by the debate over immigration. McCain has been one of the legislation’s most vocal supporters and was once considered the dominant frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination. Now, however, just 11% of Likely GOP Primary Voters name McCain as their top choice. In his home state of Arizona, McCain is viewed favorably by just 47% of voters.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) has seen his Favorability ratings slide to 19% during the recent debate. A month ago, he was viewed favorably by 26%

[Rick_Michael]

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of voters would favor an approach that focuses exclusively on “exclusively on securing the border and reducing illegal immigration.”

LISTEN TO US OR BE GONE!

[clamper1797]

securing the border and reducing completely eliminating illegal immigration

[loreldan]

Prove that you can enforce the law; then we’ll talk about some kind of reform. As it stands right now, the only thing that the government has a track record of enforcing in this bill is the amnesty part.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just say NO to Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[starbase]

Please. What kind of manufactured polling are we going to see now? I don't even want to hear the questions from this poll. We can expect to see tortured "polls" coming out now saying whatever combination of "facts" is necessary to tell the Senators to do whatever they want to do. Par for the course.

If you don't like the answer, just keep changing the question until you hear what you want to hear.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

The following is a repeat of what I've posted on other immigration threads, but I think it's important:

I just got a note from grassfire.org, saying that IT ISN'T DEAD YET! Partial text follows:

"I was just informed that the back-room plan is currently underway to bring Bush-Kennedy back and get it quickly passed through the Senate. I call it "amendments for amnesty."

Here's what's happening.

President Bush and the Amnesty Republicans are attempting to convince about a dozen Republicans to support "cloture" on Bush-Kennedy in exchange for a commitment that a set list of amendments will be considered -- thus, "amendments for amnesty."

Also, Bush and the amnesty leaders are strong-arming conservatives into accepting the "amendments for amnesty" deal or face being banished into Senate oblivion.

Amnesty Republicans have already submitted their list of amendments to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Once the "amendments for amnesty" deal is finalized between Reid and the Republicans, the bill will be quickly brought back to the floor. The amendments will be defeated and amnesty passed."

[radar101]

Now, however, just 11% of Likely GOP Primary Voters name McCain as their top choice. In his home state of Arizona, McCain is viewed favorably by just 47% of voters

SOME IS SERIOUSLY DELUDING THEMSELVES.

I'm in Arizona, and since this mess started--I don't know ANYONE who would vote for McCain.

[CindyDawg]

If this had not been tried before it might be different. We offered amnesty once but did nothing about our borders. Now we have the ones that didn’t bother to get legal the first time and the second wave. We need to stop more from coming in before dealing with the ones already here. Why is that so hard for them to understand? They should acknowledge our concerns and take this one step at a time. By refusing to do so, I have concerns that they have no intention of securing our borders.

[lesser_satan]

But, but... Michael Medved says not passing this would be a political disaster and the end of the Republican party!!! You mean he’s 180 degrees wrong?

[org.whodat]

But, but... Michael Medved

And who listens to that nerd!

[txhurl]

What you say! Democrats are affected by illegal immigration, too? Uh-uh, no way.

[lesser_satan]

I still do occasionally, but I’ve never seen anybody as politically tone-deaf as him in my life.

[CheyennePress]

>>>Just 30% would favor legislation that focused “exclusively on legalizing the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States.” <<<

I’m frankly pretty astonished by the number of people who actually favor the above nonsense.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

So it seems they will be done....well done!

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Clueless in D.C....

[starbase]

"...exclusively on legalizing the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States.”

Well, your sampling very adeptly highlights the point I was making earlier. Look at the wording here! "undocumented workers already living in the United States"???!!!

Is that a joke? If the question said "illegal criminals stealing jobs and lowering your wages" then 0% of people would support their legal inclusion in our society.

So they twist the wording around in a great number of illegitimate ways to get the answers they want people to say, even though saying "yes" to just anything doesn't mean squat.

I think "polls" these days mean next to nothing at all, and are being used almost exclusively for propaganda and manipulation.

[Rick_Michael]

I have tons of liberals in the family, and no one likes it. Problem is, they aren’t blaming the dem....they’re blaming Bush...

Not that he deserves a pat on his back; but he depends on dems to get this through, and they’re throroughly on the side of amnesty. I’m all for a replacement of Bush and the democrats in congress....I’d say that’d be fair. : )

[txhurl]

Perry/Gingrich '08.

Not a big Perry fan, but he's the only one with hair, and we don't elect bald presidents.

[sand88]

Perry of Texas? you have to be kidding. That guy is a joke. He has no more clue about the Constitution than Paris Hilton. Hardly anyone running for President understands the anger of the American worker. We are at the precipice and I can’t see how these utterly vile, evil, corrupt rulers in Washington will do anything that will save this Republic. I despise them all.

[Rick_Michael]

" Not a big Perry fan, but he's the only one with hair, and we don't elect bald presidents."

Wrong!






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