Thread: Religion:Leaders vs Members:Contrasting Views on Immigration

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Leaders vs. Members: An Examination of Contrasting Views on Immigration

By Steven A. Camarota
December 2009

Backgrounders and Reports
Download a pdf of this Backgrounder
http://www.cis.org/articles/2009/religion_poll.pdf

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Steven A. Camarota is the Director of Research at the Center for immigration Studies.
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In contrast to many national religious leaders who are lobbying for increases in immigration numbers, a new Zogby poll of likely voters who belong to the same religious communities finds strong support for reducing overall immigration. Moreover, the poll finds that members strongly disagree with their leaders’ contention that more immigrant workers need to be allowed into the country. Also, most parishioners and congregants advocate for more enforcement to cause illegal workers to go home, while most religious leaders are calling for putting illegal immigrants on a path to U.S. citizenship. The survey of Catholic, mainline Protestant, born-again Protestant, and Jewish voters used neutral language and was one of the largest polls on immigration ever done.

Among the findings:

Most members of religious denominations do not feel that illegal immigration is caused by limits on legal immigration, as many religious leaders do; instead, members feel it’s due to a lack of enforcement.

Catholics: Just 11 percent said illegal immigration was caused by not letting in enough legal immigrants; 78 percent said it was caused by inadequate enforcement efforts.


Mainline Protestants: 18 percent said not enough legal immigration; 78 percent said inadequate
enforcement.


Born-Again Protestants: 9 percent said not enough legal immigration; 85 percent said inadequate enforcement.


Jews: 21 percent said not enough legal immigration; 60 percent said inadequate enforcement.
Unlike religious leaders who argue that more unskilled immigrant workers are needed, most members think there are plenty of Americans to do such work.

Catholics: 12 percent said legal immigration should be increased to fill such jobs; 69 percent said there are plenty of Americans available to do such jobs, employers just need to pay more.


Mainline Protestants: 10 percent said increase immigration; 73 percent said plenty of Americans available.


Born-Again Protestants: 7 percent said increase immigration; 75 percent said plenty of Americans available.


Jews: 16 percent said increase immigration; 61 percent said plenty of Americans available.
When asked to choose between enforcement that would cause illegal immigrants to go home over time or a conditional pathway to citizenship, most members of religious communities choose enforcement.

Catholics: 64 percent support enforcement to encourage illegals to go home; 23 percent support conditional legalization.


Mainline Protestants: 64 percent support enforcement; 24 percent support conditional legalization.


Born-Again Protestants: 76 percent support enforcement; 12 percent support conditional
legalization.


Jews: 43 percent support enforcement; 40 percent support conditional legalization.
In contrast to many religious leaders, most members think immigration is too high.

Catholics: 69 percent said immigration is too high; 4 percent said too low; 14 percent just right.


Mainline Protestants: 72 percent said it is too high; 2 percent said too low; 11 percent just right.


Born-Again Protestants: 78 percent said it is too high; 3 percent said too low; 9 percent just right.


Jews: 50 percent said it is too high; 5 percent said is too low; 22 percent just right.

While it would be incorrect to say that a consensus exists among religious leaders on the issue of immigration, it is true that a significant number of religious leaders have expressed their strong desire to work to legalize most illegal immigrants here and increase legal immigration in the future. In particular, leaders of the Catholic Church, Mainline Protestant churches, and some born-again churches, and major Jewish denominations all have argued that we need more legal immigration, particularly more immigrant workers. The findings of a new Zogby poll show that most self-identified Catholics, Mainline Protestants, born-again Protestants, and Jews do not support these views. This divide between church leaders and members is very likely to make any debate over immigration next year all the more contentious.

Religious Leaders and Immigration

The positions of all the major denominations discussed below share several common points. First, based on their interpretation of their religious faiths, each emphasizes the need to treat immigrants humanely and justly. Second, while they all briefly concede that immigration limits and enforcement are necessary, they are critical of enforcement efforts and argue that enforcement in general has failed. Third, all endorse legalizing illegal immigrants with conditions. Fourth, they all share a belief that illegal immigration is caused at least in part by not letting in enough legal immigrants. Fifth, they all call for changes in policy that would increase the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country, both to join family members and for work. In particular they often mention laborers, unskilled workers, and those who do seasonal work as being especially needed. A number of these institutions have issued statements or resolutions to this effect in 2008 and 2009 — during the current recession.

Many, but not all, of the groups discussed below have signed on to the Interfaith Statement in Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The Statement, from October 24, 2008, states that illegal immigrants “should be allowed to regularize their status upon satisfaction of reasonable criteria and, over time, pursue an option to become lawful permanent residents and eventually United States citizens.â€

Doesn't come as a surprise that church leaders are so out of touch with their members.

Its' simple to explain really.

Leaders are paid by their members, they want more members (they think illegal aliens will pay them too). Leaders are clueless when dealing with reality.

Members are tired of their money being spent willy-nilly by their leaders. Members are angry at having to subsidize people who should not even be here, at the same time they are struggling to keep their own heads above water.

At the staff level - Bishops and Cardinals - the people are no different than are any other corporate executives. They advocate what is best for their corporation and cloak their self-interest in terms which they claim are good for the American people. For example, the Roman Catholic Church wants amnesty for illegals, because immigrants will contribute money to the Church and, probably, also increase applications to join the priesthood.

The current campaign for amnesty proceeds from the same point of view which permitted the Church to tolerate decades of degenerate priests. Staff-level people knew that pedophile priests were abusing Catholic children. But because applications for the priesthood were dropping, the Bishops and Cardinals simply transferred those known pedophiles to other parishes.

Same old, same old.

Originally Posted by miguelina

Leaders are paid by their members, they want more members (they think illegal aliens will pay them too). Leaders are clueless when dealing with reality.

Not only that, Catholic Charities receives millions from the government to help "immigrants" access social services and petition their relatives for a green card.

Originally Posted by Bowman

Originally Posted by miguelina

Leaders are paid by their members, they want more members (they think illegal aliens will pay them too). Leaders are clueless when dealing with reality.

Not only that, Catholic Charities receives millions from the government to help "immigrants" access social services and petition their relatives for a green card.

Yes indeed, they call it "outreach". Make no mistake though, most of that money stays with the church.