Illegal Immigration and Amnesty

68% think that securing the border is more important than granting amnesty to illegal aliens, 26% favor amnesty (Rasmussen, March 2010).
67% believe that illegal immigration is a strain on the federal budget, 23% do not think so (Rasmussen, March 2010).
66% agree that the availability of government benefits attracts illegal aliens to the U.S., 19% disagree (Rasmussen, March 2010).

Rasmussen, October 2009

68% oppose the creation of sanctuary cities (jurisdictions that have a policy of not enforcing immigration law) with only 13% in favor.
49% to 33% say that federal funding should be cut off to sanctuary cities.
50% believe that sanctuary policies lead to increased crime, while 20% disagree.
56% to 27% believe that the policies of the federal government encourage illegal immigration.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, October 2009

73% of Americans want to see a decrease in illegal immigration, while only 3% believe there should be an increase.
37% want to see all illegal aliens deported, and another 23% want the number if illegal aliens "decreased significantly."

Zogby, October 2009

56% of Mexican adults believe that granting amnesty to illegal aliens in the United States would make it more likely that people they know would attempt to illegally migrate to United States. Only 17 percent thought it would people make less likely to migrate illegally to the United States (Zogby, October 2009).
65% of Mexican adults who have a member of their immediate household in the United States said that amnesty would make people they know more likely to attempt to illegally migrate to America (Zogby, October 2009).
Despite the recession, 36% of Mexicans (39 million people) say they would move to the United States if possible.

Rasmussen, October 2009

56% of U.S. voters believe that the policies of the federal government encourage illegal immigration. Only 27% of voters disagree.
With those who express anger over immigration, 83% of voters are angry at the federal government with only 12% directing their anger at immigrants.
64% of voters believe law enforcement officers should continue to target sites where illegal aliens gather to look for work.

Rasmussen, April 2009

66% of likely voters nationwide agreed it was “Very Important” for the government to improve America's border security and to reduce illegal immigration.

Rasmussen Report, March 2009

68% believe that employers who hire illegal aliens should be punished
48% of U.S. voters also support sanctions on landlords who rent or sell property to illegal immigrants; only 36% are opposed to sanctions.

Zogby, November 2008

60% of voters said reducing illegal immigration and cracking down on employers who hire them is important to them, while only 21% supported "legalizing or creating a pathway to citizenship" for illegal aliens.
57% of voters stated that amnesty would harm American workers and further strain public resources, while only 26% believe amnesty would aid economic recovery and ease public burdens.

New York Times/CBS, May 2007

82% think that not enough is being done along the borders to keep illegal immigrants from crossing into the country.