Thread: Field Poll: Few favor immigrant licensing

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ ... 1849c.html

Field Poll: Few favor immigrant licensing
By Aurelio Rojas -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, March 4, 2005

Nearly two-thirds of Californians oppose granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, but opinions are divided over licenses that would mark the recipient as undocumented, according to a new Field Poll.

The margin against granting regular licenses to illegal immigrants - 62 percent to 35 percent - is about the same as the last Field survey on the issue in 2003.

"What's interesting is the huge difference by race and ethnicity on the idea of allowing the regular driver's license to undocumented immigrants," poll Director Mark DiCamillo said Thursday of the new survey.

Three out of four white non-Latino voters are opposed to the concept while Latinos favor it by a 2-1 margin.

Among the respondents who were adamantly opposed to allowing illegal immigrants to drive was Wayne Embree, 64, of Bakersfield.

"They're here illegally ... why should they have the right?" Embree asked.

"They shouldn't be given anything. It just encourages more of them to come here."

When respondents were asked if they could support a license that identifies the holder as an illegal immigrant, opinions were divided - 49 percent in favor and 48 opposed.

"The margin of those in favor and opposed was about the same between Latinos and whites, but probably for different reasons," DiCamillo said.

Many Latino opponents have likened such an identifier to a "scarlet letter" while supporters contend it would provide additional security.

The Field Poll also found a majority of respondents - 59 percent to 38 percent - support a bill in Congress that would prohibit all states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Opposition in California to the issuance of regular driver's licenses to illegal workers crosses party lines.

Almost 90 percent of Republicans reject the idea, as do 62 percent of nonpartisans and 56 percent of Democrats.

Among adults who are not registered to vote, 53 percent oppose issuing regular licenses to illegal immigrants while 45 percent support the idea.

In 2003, then-Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

But after Davis was recalled, the measure was repealed by the Legislature at the behest of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger before it was implemented.

Last year, Schwarzenegger vetoed another driver's license bill. This year, Cedillo has introduced a similar one.

The telephone poll of 506 adults was conducted Feb. 8 to 17. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ ... 1849c.html

Field Poll: Few favor immigrant licensing
By Aurelio Rojas -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, March 4, 2005

Nearly two-thirds of Californians oppose granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, but opinions are divided over licenses that would mark the recipient as undocumented, according to a new Field Poll.

The margin against granting regular licenses to illegal immigrants - 62 percent to 35 percent - is about the same as the last Field survey on the issue in 2003.

"What's interesting is the huge difference by race and ethnicity on the idea of allowing the regular driver's license to undocumented immigrants," poll Director Mark DiCamillo said Thursday of the new survey.

Three out of four white non-Latino voters are opposed to the concept while Latinos favor it by a 2-1 margin.

Among the respondents who were adamantly opposed to allowing illegal immigrants to drive was Wayne Embree, 64, of Bakersfield.

"They're here illegally ... why should they have the right?" Embree asked.

"They shouldn't be given anything. It just encourages more of them to come here."

When respondents were asked if they could support a license that identifies the holder as an illegal immigrant, opinions were divided - 49 percent in favor and 48 opposed.

"The margin of those in favor and opposed was about the same between Latinos and whites, but probably for different reasons," DiCamillo said.

Many Latino opponents have likened such an identifier to a "scarlet letter" while supporters contend it would provide additional security.

The Field Poll also found a majority of respondents - 59 percent to 38 percent - support a bill in Congress that would prohibit all states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Opposition in California to the issuance of regular driver's licenses to illegal workers crosses party lines.

Almost 90 percent of Republicans reject the idea, as do 62 percent of nonpartisans and 56 percent of Democrats.

Among adults who are not registered to vote, 53 percent oppose issuing regular licenses to illegal immigrants while 45 percent support the idea.

In 2003, then-Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

But after Davis was recalled, the measure was repealed by the Legislature at the behest of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger before it was implemented.

Last year, Schwarzenegger vetoed another driver's license bill. This year, Cedillo has introduced a similar one.

The telephone poll of 506 adults was conducted Feb. 8 to 17. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.