May
23
According to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted earlier this month (MAY07), Americans want strict enforcement of existing immigration laws and more border security before any immigration reforms take effect.
The poll shows that 56 per cent of US adults favored an “enforcement-only” approach to immigration reform with no path to citizenship for illegal aliens - however, many other opinion polls show support for immigration and citizenship opportunities for aliens.
What the majority of the poll results have in common is the emphasis that American citizens place on security. 42 per cent of people polled in the Rasmussen Reports supported a path to citizenship for aliens while 44 per cent opposed it.
President of Rasmussen Reports Scott Rasmussen says, “Enforcement of existing laws is the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 priority for immigration reform among Americans. That’s what voters think immigration reform means.”
Other polls show both similar and contradictory sentiments:
An April (07) poll from the Los Angeles Times/ Bloomberg Poll shows that 40 per cent demand an enforcement-only method of immigration reform, while 55 per cent want enforcement with the addition of a guest-worker program under which aliens could work in the US under legal temporary worker visas.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted in May (07) shows that 50 per cent oppose any temporary worker program that would prevent aliens from applying for US citizenship, and 45 per cent insist on a 700-mile fence along the Mexico border. 80 per cent showed support for a program that would give illegal aliens in the US the opportunity to apply for US citizenship if they worked and paid back taxes.
A USA Today/Gallup Poll conducted from April (07) indicated that 78 per cent would be in favor of aliens being given the opportunity to pursue citizenship if certain criteria were met.
Rasmussen says, “The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, but it’s also a nation of laws. It’s not a conflict for Americans to want both open immigration and strict enforcement of immigration laws.”
Senior fellow at free-market-based think tank the Manhattan Institute Tamar Jacoby explains that most of the polls taken show support for aliens pursuing citizenship to range from 60 per cent to 85 per cent if conditions, such as the payment of back taxes and proof of English language proficiency, are met.
Jacoby says, “This just shows that people are ready to deal pragmatically with the immigration problems we have. You just can’t deport 12 million people who are living here illegally. There’s an underlining anxiety in the country over immigration. People are seeing immigrants in parts of the country where they never saw them before.”