Illegal Border Crossings Today:

Illegal Immigration and Amnesty Polls

Rasmussen, October 22, 2013 — Poll of likely voters

  • Only 25% think it is even somewhat likely that the federal government will secure the border and prevent illegal immigration with new immigration legislation; 65% consider it unlikely.
  • Only 18% think illegal aliens should be given immediate amnesty; 62% believe legalization should occur only after the border is secured, and 19% are unsure.
  • 40% favor the immigration bill passed by the Senate (S.744); 40% oppose it, and 20% are undecided.  Support was down from 53% just one month earlier.
  • 29% think the House should pass Senate bill.  44% think that the House should review the Senate bill piece by piece.  27% are undecided.
  • Only 28% believe “comprehensive” immigration reform will pass Congress and be signed by the President this year.
  • 55% of American adults oppose “providing free public education benefits to children of immigrants who are in the United States illegally” (PDK/Gallup, August 2013).
  • 56% of American adults want the border secure before any type of amnesty is granted to illegal aliens. Only 37% want amnesty before border security (CBS News, July 2013).
  • 31% of illegal aliens surveyed identified themselves as Democrats; 4% as Republicans. In addition, 23% of illegal aliens lean toward the Democratic Party while 15% lean toward the Republican Party (Pew Hispanic Center, July 2013).
  • When told that the Senate immigration bill (S.744) would only decrease illegal immigration up to 50% of its current rate, according to the Congressional Budget Office, only 39% of U.S. likely voters supported the bill (Rasmussen, July 2013).
  • 80% of American adults support “stricter border control to try to reduce illegal immigration.” This includes 93% Republicans, 76% Democrats, 83% Independents, 74% Blacks, 61% Hispanics, and 75% of 18-39 year olds (ABC News/Washington Post, April 2013).

Latino Opinions, July 2013 — Poll of U.S. Hispanic adults

  • 60% of registered Hispanic voters support granting amnesty to “undocumented immigrants” only if illegal immigration is reduced by 90%.  34% support amnesty before that goal is reached.
  • 56% of registered Hispanic voters (51% all adults) oppose allowing illegal aliens to obtain federal benefits “while they are going through the legalization process and before the 90% goal is reached.”
  • Hispanic voters ranked immigration reform last (31%) among a list of four priority issues, behind the economy (62%), healthcare (57%), and education (45%).
  • 60% of Hispanic voters support tougher enforcement, with only 35% opposed. 
  • 64% of Hispanic voters support the use of E-verify, with only 29% opposed.
  • National Journal/Congressional Connections, July 2013 — Poll of U.S. adults
  • Regardless of whether respondents support amnesty, 77% (90% Republicans, 80% Independents, 65% Democrats) do not think that amnestied aliens should be eligible for government benefits before these aliens become citizens.  20% believe amnestied aliens should receive benefits before attaining citizenship.
  • 70% think that amnestied aliens should not be eligible for Obamacare before attaining citizenship (88% Republicans, 72% Independents, 54% Democrats); 27% disagree.
  • 33% said it would make them less likely to support a candidate for reelection who voted for “a pathway to citizenship;” 21% said they would more likely support such a candidate.
  • 22% think the U.S. should increase admissions of skilled immigrants; 24% want the number decreased; 47% want to keep the number the same.
  • 29% believe companies should be able to admit as many high-skilled foreign workers as they want; 61% believe there should be restrictions on the number admitted.
  • 59% of likely voters say that securing the U.S. border is more important than amnesty. 34% say that amnesty is more important than border security (Rasmussen, July 2013).
  • Only 28% of likely voters believe that the federal government is likely to secure the U.S. border if comprehensive immigration reform plan passes Congress (Rasmussen, June 2013).
  • Only 38% of likely voters believe that DHS should be able declare that the U.S. borders are secure (Rasmussen, June 2013).
  • 55% of registered voters disapprove of Obama’s handling of immigration policy (Fox News, June 2013).
  • 38% of likely voters think that immigration reform is likely or somewhat likely to pass in 2013.  52% think that immigration is unlikely or somewhat unlikely to pass (Rasmussen, May 2013). 

CIS/Pulse, April 2013 — Poll of likely voters 

  • 72% support reducing the illegal alien population by requiring employers to check workers’ legal status, fortifying the border, and federal cooperation with local police. 54% strongly support this approach.
  • When given an option, 58% say they support reducing the illegal alien population through enforcement, while 31% say they prefer amnesty that required illegal aliens to pay a fine, study English, and undergo a background check.
  • 88% of Republican support reducing the illegal alien population by requiring employers to check workers’ legal status, fortifying the border, and federal cooperation with local police. 77% “strongly support” this approach.
  • When given an option, 82% of Republicans support reducing the illegal alien population, while just 12% support conditional amnesty.
  • 79% of Republican likely voters would be less likely to vote for a member of Congress who supported “legalization,” while just 8% of would be more likely to vote for such a member.
  • Among self-identified white evangelicals, 79% prefer reducing the illegal alien population by enforcing the law, while only 13% percent support conditional amnesty. 
  • 53% of U.S. citizens believe that most or all illegal aliens should be deported (30% most, 23% all), while 36% want all or most to stay (5% all, 31% most). 75% percent of Republicans think all or most immigrants should be deported, 40% of Democrats think the same (Reuters/Ipsos, April, 2013).
  • 63% (38% mostly not secure, 25% totally not secure) of adults say that the U.S. border is not secure,while only 18% say it is secure (1% totally secure, 17% mostly secure) (Wall Street Journal/NBC News, April 2013).
  • 69% of registered voters put border security first before any other changes are made in immigration policy (Fox News, March 2013).
  • 55% of likely voters want the federal government to deport visa overstayers (Rasmussen, March 2013).
  • 64% of likely voters believe that the U.S. border should be under control before any other facets of immigration reform move forward (Rasmussen, March 2013).

FAIR/Pulse, February 2013 — Poll of likely voters

  • 86% believe illegal immigration is a problem for the U.S.; 12% believe it is not a problem.
  • 53% believe that the U.S. border is not secure (16% “not at all secure”); 41% believe it is secure (6% “very secure”).
  • 74% believe that the government is not effective at preventing illegal immigration; 21% think it is effective.
  • 53% believe illegal aliens harm American workers; 26% believe that illegal aliens do not harm American workers; 11% believe they have little if any effect.
  • 66% believe illegal aliens are a net drain on public resources; 11% believe they are a net benefit; 9% say they have little to no effect.
  • 69% are not confident that immigration laws would be enforced in the future if illegal aliens were given amnesty; 26% are confidence that laws would be enforced.
  • 37% support encouraging illegal aliens to return to their home countries by enforcing the law and cutting off benefits; 15% support deporting all illegal aliens (52% support enforcement/deportation); 36% support amnesty.

CIS/Pulse, February 2013 — Poll of likely voters 

  • 52% prefer to see illegal aliens return to their home countries; 33% preferred to give illegal aliens legal status.
  • 64% say that immigration enforcement has been “too little;” 10% say” too much;” 15% said “just right.”
  • 71% think the illegal alien population in the U.S. was the result of a failure to enforce immigration laws; 18% think it is because the U.S. does not admit enough legal immigrants.
  • 70% are not confident that immigration laws would be enforced in the future if illegal aliens were given amnesty; 37% express confidence that laws would be enforced. 
  • 53% say that they would be more likely to support a political party that favored the enforcement of immigration laws; 32% say that they would be more likely to support a political party that favored legalization.
  • 51% of U.S. Hispanic adults are Democrats or lean Democratic, compared with 45% of all U.S. adults.  24% of U.S. Hispanic adults are Republican or lean Republican, compared with 41% of all U.S. adults.  Identification with the Democratic Party is higher among older Hispanic adults.  Gallup researchers concluded that it “appears that young Hispanic adults will remain lopsidedly Democratic throughout their lives. There is also no generational evidence at this point suggesting that they will become more Republican” (Gallup, February 2013). 
  • 80% of likely voters want to end illegal immigration, with 58% saying it is “very important”  (Rasmussen, February 2013)
  • Only 27% of likely voters say that referring to an illegal alien as an “illegal immigrant” is “offensive” (Rasmussen, February, 2013).
  • Only 25% of likely voters believe DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano’s contention that “the border is now more secure than it has ever been?”  47% don’t believe this is true, and 28% are not sure (Rasmussen, February 2013).
  • 58% of likely voters believe that the federal government encourages illegal immigration; 24% disagree, and 18% are undecided (Rasmussen, June 2012).
  • Likely U.S. voters opposed birthright citizenship for children born to illegal alien mothers 51% to 41% (Rasmussen, December 2012).
  • 56% of likely U.S. voters put border control ahead of legalization of illegal aliens residing in the United States (35%) (Rasmussen, August 2012).
  • U.S. voters support an Arizona-type law for their own state, 61% to 34% (Quinnipiac, July 2012). 
  • 63% of Americans believe that the Arizona immigration enforcement law is either “about right” or “doesn’t go far enough.”  33% believe it “goes too far” (CBS/NY Times, June 2012).
  • 60% of likely U.S. Voters believe that the federal government encourages illegal immigration. 24% disagree (Rasmussen, December 2011).
  • 52% of likely U.S. voters supported the passage of an immigration law similar to Arizona’s in their own state. 34% oppose such a law in their state (Rasmussen, December 2011).
  • 65% of likely voters opposed birthright citizenship for children born to illegal alien mothers (Rasmussen, November 2011).
  • 63% of likely voters put border control ahead of legalization of illegal aliens residing in the United States (Rasmussen, October 2011).
  • 63% of likely voters believe that police officers should automatically check the legal status of an individual pulled over for a routine traffic stop.  31% disagree (Rasmussen, October 2011).
  • 63% of likely U.S. voters think that border control is more important than “legalizing the status of undocumented workers.” Only 27% put amnesty ahead of border security (Rasmussen, March 2011).
  • 67% of likely U.S. voters believe that states should enforce immigration laws if the federal government fails to do so (Rasmussen, February 2011). 
  • 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.