Parties Agree: Tough Treatment for Criminal Aliens

Tuesday, October 30, 2007 4:06 PM
By: Newsmax Staff Article Font Size

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If there?s one thing Democrats and Republicans agree on, it?s harsh treatment for aliens who break the law here or abroad, according to a new online poll.


The two sides differ, however, when it comes to spending money to thwart the growing number of illegal aliens flooding the U.S.


Voters from both parties are united in their opinion that criminal aliens should be denied U.S. citizenship, and that those who commit felonies should be jailed in the U.S., according to the Zogby International / Associated Television poll.


The survey of 4,702 likely voters found that 48 percent of Democrats and 54 percent of Republicans would deny citizenship to an alien convicted of a felony. Overall, 37 percent of voters felt any alien convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor should be ineligible for citizenship.


The poll also asked voters which scenarios they would support for locking up criminal aliens. An overwhelming majority of voters ? both Democrats and Republicans ? supported a wide variety of scenarios including: commission of a felony, smuggling human cargo or human trafficking, dealing drugs, engaging in gang activities or criminals acts. Only 49 percent of Democrats agreed that re-entering the U.S. after being deported should warrant being locked up while 85 percent of Republicans favored locking up aliens who try to re-enter the country.


Sixty-eight percent of all voters, including 85 percent of Republicans and half of the Democrats felt that an alien who has been convicted of a felony or multiple misdemeanors should not be granted citizenship even after they've served their time in prison.


Another poll question tackled the growing number of illegal aliens in the country and how much the federal government should spend to catch and deport these aliens. A clear majority of Republicans, 77 percent, said the U.S. government should spend as much as it takes while just a third of Democrats also agreed to spend what it takes. Thirty-six percent of Democrats were unsure of how much to spend.


Seventy-five percent of all voters felt that it should be a felony for a non-citizen to falsify federal or state documents to obtain a government-issued license, the poll found. Fifty-seven percent of Democrats and a whopping 93 percent of Republicans also felt that falsifying state or federal documents should be considered a felony.


As for aiding and abetting illegal immigration, 84 percent of Republicans polled said that anyone with a green card that knowingly helps an illegal alien should lose their green card. A mere 39 percent of Democrats agreed that aliens should lose their green card for helping illegals.


Voters from the two parties also differed on the issue of the two border patrol agents sent to prison for shooting a Mexican drug dealer in 2006. Ninety-one percent of Republicans polled felt President Bush should pardon the two border patrol agents, while only 47 percent favored clemency for the imprisoned agents.