Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Arrest All Illegal Residents, Say Americans
October 27, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in the United States think every law enforcement officer has the obligation to arrest all undocumented residents in the country, including those who have not broken state or local laws, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 55 per cent of respondents share this opinion, while 43 per cent disagree.

In 2005, Arizona governor Janet Napolitano vetoed a bill which would have allowed police officers to act as immigration agents to arrest undocumented migrants.

In March 2006, the Pew Hispanic Center calculated the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. at somewhere between 11.5 million to 12 million. 69 per cent of respondents say they would like the number of illegal immigrants living in the country to decrease.

In May 2006, U.S. president George W. Bush addressed the nation to discuss his immigration proposals. Bush outlined five clear objectives: securing the borders, creating a temporary worker program, holding employers to account for the workers they hire, allowing illegal immigrants "who have roots" in the country to apply for citizenship, and helping newcomers assimilate into American society.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate discussed and rejected a revised immigration bill, which would have allowed illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a "Z visa." After paying fees, a $5,000 U.S. fine and then returning to their home countries, they could apply for permanent residency, which could be granted in eight to 13 years. The bill also included a proposal to introduce a points system that would prioritize access to the U.S. for skilled and educated immigrants, as well as new family-reunification guidelines.

On Oct. 24, the U.S. Senate voted 52-44 to reject the "Dream Act" bill, which sought to allow youngsters brought to the country as children by their illegal immigrant parents to gain legal status provided they attended school or entered the military. Democratic Illinois senator Dick Durbin expressed frustration, saying, "I believe in this bill passionately. (...) Some of their stories are heartbreaking. Many know no other country, know no other language, and now they are being told to leave by our government."

Polling Data

When state or local police forces encounter illegal immigrants who have not broken any state or local laws, do you think the police should or should not arrest those people and turn them over to the federal government?

Should
55%

Should not
43%

Unsure
1%

Would you like to see the number of illegal immigrants currently in this country increased, decreased, or remain the same?

Increased
7% Oct. 2007
5% Oct. 2006

Decreased
69% Oct. 2007
67% Oct. 2006

Same
22% Oct. 2007
27% Oct. 2006

Unsure
2% Oct. 2007
1% Oct. 2006

Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,212 American adults, conducted from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/28 ... americans/