Thread: Immigration, taxes, crime darken Houston Area Survey

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5722973.html
April 22, 2008, 11:21PM
Immigration, taxes, crime darken Houston Area Survey

By JAMES PINKERTON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle


Harris County residents increasingly carry negative views about immigrants, saying they burden tax-supported services including schools and hospitals while contributing to crime, according to the 2008 Houston Area Survey.

The survey, conducted annually since 1982 by Rice University sociology professor Stephen Klineberg, questioned local residents recently about the economy, housing, immigration and other topics.

The survey found 63 percent agreed that new immigration should be limited, up from 48 percent in 2004. Meanwhile, 61 percent of those polled said illegal immigrants are a ''very serious" problem, up from 43 percent in 2006.

This year, 56 percent favored granting citizenship to illegal immigrants who have learned English and didn't have a criminal record, down from 68 percent in 2007. And today, 43 percent believe immigrants contribute more than they take, down from 52 percent in 2002.

The pessimistic attitudes toward immigrants are striking in an area as diverse as Houston. Nearly 25 percent of Harris County's population of 3.8 million is foreign-born, according to 2006 Census Bureau data.

The local attitudes reflect a nationwide fear of a rapidly growing population of immigrants who don't embrace American culture, reduce the prominence of English and increase poverty that will strap taxpayers, the survey noted.

The backlash against the mostly Latino immigrants is comparable to past resentment over large-scale immigration from Europe, Klineberg said, adding the bias is stoked by conservative media outlets who only focus on the negative aspects of the influx.

Feeling surfaced in 2005

''Whenever there have been large waves of immigrants arriving in the country — the Irish in 1840s and 1850s or the Greeks, Italians and Poles at the turn of the century — Americans have always responded with antagonism and fear," he said.

This increasingly negative feeling about immigrants, both legal and illegal, first surfaced in the Houston Area Survey in 2005, he said.

''Each year there has been deepening anti-immigration attitudes, and this is happening despite the evidence of successful assimilation and upward mobility" of new arrivals, said Klineberg. ''All the evidence suggests Latino immigrants moving up and out of poverty, learning English and becoming Americans at least as rapidly, if not more rapidly, than Greeks and Italians did 100 years ago."

But the positive indicators are little comfort to some.

Robert Bracht, a 71-year-old retired Houston accountant, said limited immigration has always been good for the nation, ''but it's gotten out of hand."

Bracht said attitudes about illegal immigrants have soured because of the perception they're responsible for increasing crime, a sentiment expressed by 23 percent of those surveyed.

However, 48 percent of those surveyed said their primary concern was the strain illegal immigrants placed on public services. Thirteen percent said the newcomers were taking jobs away from Americans.

''The crime is probably the biggest thing, and maybe the fact that here in Houston every car that passes you has Hispanics in it," Bracht said. ''Maybe they feel we are being overrun."

Other academics, including Raul A. Ramos, an assistant history professor at the University of Houston, agreed anti-immigrant sentiment is triggered by external events as well as cultural anxiety.

Ramos said Mexicans in particular are targets because current resentment taps into anti-Mexican sentiment dating to before the Mexican-American War of 1848.

The shifting attitudes are due to ''a continued security concern combined with a major economic downturn, so the conditions are right for anti-immigrant sentiment to take root," Ramos said.

Houstonians should not ignore contributions made by immigrants, one Spring resident said.

''More than anything, people should remember ... they do very good work for little money," said Griselda Rivera, 34, a baby sitter who became a U.S. citizen this year.

Klineberg said the shift in attitudes has implications for Houston's continued prosperity, since the city's population has become one of the most diverse in the nation.

''As the older Anglos move into retirement, the young people who will be the citizens, the workers, the taxpayers and voters will be increasingly non-Anglo and increasingly Hispanic," Klineberg said. ''So these attitude changes are consequential for Houston."

james.pinkerton@chron.com

Bluring of immigrant and illegal alien going on here.

This year, 56 percent favored granting citizenship to illegal immigrants who have learned English and didn't have a criminal record, down from 68 percent in 2007.

I bet if they had asked the real question, which is do you favor granting amnesty to illegal immigrants who have learned English and didn't have a criminal record, I bet the numbers would have come in well under 56%. Funny how they don't even have to pay a fee this time.

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

Bluring of immigrant and illegal alien going on here.

This year, 56 percent favored granting citizenship to illegal immigrants who have learned English and didn't have a criminal record, down from 68 percent in 2007.

I bet if they had asked the real question, which is do you favor granting amnesty to illegal immigrants who have learned English and didn't have a criminal record, I bet the numbers would have come in well under 56%. Funny how they don't even have to pay a fee this time.

Dixie

I find it strange that every time the Houston Chronicle puts a story about illegals in the paper it draws 400 to 600 comments from angry Houstonians wanting a mass deportation. Where in the world did they find 56 percent who favored amnesty? If they polled people in the University of Houston who are predominantly foreigners I would expect that answer. But a random selection of Harris county residents as they claim would certainly shock me.

they do very good work for little money !!! What is she sniffing ? I think if you go look at the work do in home building . You'll find un-level foundations , Right angles are not straight . Drywall not taped correctly . Painting oh yea painting . They thin it our so much you get a third of what you pay for .
Enough of this LIE . They are such good workers

''More than anything, people should remember ... they do very good work for little money," said Griselda Rivera, 34, a baby sitter who became a U.S. citizen this year.

What a crock! They do little for alot of our tax dollars! Lets not forget they keep dropping anchor babies like candy, and using up MORE of our tax dollars!

Notice how the Main Stream Media only asks illegals and recent legals their opinions on immigration. I have never seen an article where they ask US citizens, born and bred.

''More than anything, people should remember ... they do very good work for little money," said Griselda Rivera, 34, a baby sitter who became a U.S. citizen this year.

Noting sways a a crowd like an unbiased opinion.

I wonder where most of her relatives are currently living? I'll bet it's not here in the United States.

James Pinkerton and the Houston Chronicle....just shills for the Mexican govenrment propaganda machine. No one takes these articles seriously except the illegal alien advocacy cartel....the reality can't be spinned by Pinkerton or any other apologists for illegal aliens. Americans are fed up and our politicians and policy-makers answer to AMERICAN citizens not to LA RAZA, not to MALDEF, not to the Institute for Mexicans Abroad , not to CALDERON or to FOX.

Do you see the manipulation of this survey?

The digets to the right are the years the question was asked. For instance, notice how education, hospital services and amnesty were avoided?

Manipulation! Nothing else needs to be said about the results.


All Survey Questions

Reactions to the New Immigrants

DIVERSOK Do you think the increasing ethnic diversity in Houston brought about by immigration is a good thing or a bad thing? (94, 99, 01, 03, 05, 07)

MORIMMIG During the next ten years, would you like to see the U.S. admit more, fewer, or about the same number of legal immigrants as were admitted in the last ten years? (95, 97, 99, 01, 02, 03, 05, 07)

IMMEFFS Does the increasing immigration into this country today [rotate]: Mostly strengthen American culture; or: Mostly threaten American culture? (97, 01, 03, 05, 07)

EDLINGO In areas where there are many non-English speaking immigrants, do you think the public schools should or should not offer education in their language? (96, 07)

DENYHELP For/Against: What about a law that would deny health and welfare services to illegal immigrants in Texas? (95, 07)

EDUNDOCS Agree/Disagree: The children of illegal immigrants should have the right to attend the public schools. (85, 95, 07)

IMMFINES For/Against: What about imposing fines and criminal charges against employers in this community who hire illegal immigrants? (07)

LEGALIZE For/Against: What about granting illegal immigrants in the U.S. a path to legal citizenship, if they speak English and have no criminal record? (07, 08)

ETHSOK Do you think that the increasing ethnic diversity in Houston will eventually become [rotate]: A source of great strength for the city; or: A growing problem for the city? (96, 98, 00, 02, 04, 06, 08)

IMMIGBAD Do immigrants to the U.S. generally take more from the American economy than they contribute, or do they contribute more than they take? (94, 96, 98, 00, 02, 04, 06, 08)

LESIMMIG Agree/Disagree: We should take action to reduce the number of new immigrants coming to America. (98, 00, 04, 06, 08)

UNDOCBAD Large numbers of undocumented immigrants have been coming to Houston in recent years. How much of a problem do you think this is for the city? Would you say: very serious, somewhat serious, or not much of a problem? (06, 08)

WHYIMBAD If "very serious" or "somewhat serious" (UNDOCBAD): Is the reason you see it as a problem based primarily on concerns about the immigrants taking American jobs; about strains on public services (such as schools and hospitals); about increases in crime; or something else? Which one is most important? (06)

THEFENCE If cost were not a factor, would you favor or oppose building a 2,000-mile security fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, to stop all undocumented immigration? (06, 08)

ILLEGALS Agree/Disagree: Undocumented immigrants are a major cause of unemployment in the Houston area today. (89, 94, 96, 99, 04)

ALLSPEAK For/Against: What about requiring all students in the Houston area public schools to be able to speak both English and Spanish before they graduate? (04)

SCHLLANG For/Against: What about bilingual education in the public schools? (99)

IMMJOBS What effect, if any, do you think recent immigrants into the Houston area are having on job opportunities for you and your family members? Are they making things better, making things worse, or not making much difference either way? (98)

EDIMMIGS For/Against: What about preventing the children of illegal immigrants from attending the public schools? (97)

AMNESTY For/Against: What about giving amnesty to illegal aliens who have lived in the U.S. for five or more years? (87)

NOHIRE For/Against: What about strong penalties on employers who hire illegal aliens? (86)

To view results for all years, go to this link and click on the titles on the left.

http://cohesion.rice.edu/centersandinst ... oc_id=3847

Dixie ,
Thats not a survey . It's a Nazi propaganda piece . Written for one agenda only . Guilt for the citizen . And trick questions for non answer's