Thread: In Polls, Illegal Immigrants Are Called Burden

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/14/us/14 ... ref=slogin

April 14, 2006
In Polls, Illegal Immigrants Are Called Burden
By MARJORIE CONNELLY
Americans see illegal immigrants as using more public services than they pay for and want the government to do a better job of controlling the borders, but they favor legal status for current illegal immigrants under specific conditions, according to national polls released this week.

Those polled say President Bush is handling immigration matters poorly, and they are more likely to trust the Democrats to do a better job than the Republicans.

About 6 in 10 Americans surveyed by CBS News described the problem of illegal immigration as very serious. Illegal immigration was characterized as "out of control" by 81 percent in a USA Today/Gallup poll. And three-quarters of those questioned in an ABC News/Washington Post poll said the United States was not doing enough to keep illegal immigrants from entering the country.

But a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll found 63 percent of the respondents supported an approach that combined tougher enforcement of immigration laws along with a program of temporary work visas for illegal immigrants, while 30 percent would rather see the focus on tougher enforcement alone. The public is divided on whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for permits to stay and work. In the CBS News poll, 49 percent said illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply, and 43 percent opposed the idea.

But that poll found 74 percent in favor of giving legal status to those who have lived in the United States for at least five years, if they can speak English, pay a fine and any back taxes and have no criminal record. Twenty-three percent of those polled opposed that approach. The USA Today/Gallup poll found approval for various possible requirements for legal status, with 90 percent of those surveyed saying that illegal immigrants must be employed. More than 80 percent said the ability to speak English, pass a health screening and pay back taxes should be conditions. And smaller majorities favored limiting the program to those who have been here for at least five years, have paid a fine, and have relatives living legally in the United States.

The polls gave President Bush low marks for his management of immigration. For example, only 26 percent of the public, including 42 percent of Republicans and 20 percent of independents, approved of his handling of the immigration issue in the CBS News poll. Fifty-three percent of all respondents disapproved.

The Republican Party is seen as less able than the Democrats to manage the complex issue of immigration. In the ABC News/Washington Post poll, 50 percent said they trusted the Democrats to do a better job of handling immigration issues, and 38 percent said the Republicans would do a better job.

Reservations about illegal immigrants appear to center on their use of public services, rather than worries about unemployment or national security. In the ABC News/Washington Post poll, a third of those surveyed said their biggest concern was illegal immigrants using "more public services than they pay for in taxes."

Just over half of the public said the jobs that legal or illegal immigrants took were ones that Americans did not want. In the CBS News poll, 34 percent said illegal immigrants took jobs away from Americans; 29 percent said the same about legal immigrants.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted April 6 to 9 with 1,027 adults, the CBS News poll April 6 to 9 with 899 adults, the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll April 8 to 11 with 1,357 adults, and the USA Today/Gallup poll April 7 to 9 with 1,004 adults. The four telephone surveys each have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

The DEMOCRAPS would NOT do it BETTER. They want amnesty for all and open borders.

Be careful WHAT you believe.

MJ