Thread: Hispanics in U.S. more divided over illegal immigrants

Hispanics in U.S. more divided over illegal immigrants

Updated 14m ago
By Alan Gomez, USA TODAY

Hispanics are growing more divided about how they view illegal immigration, and native-born Hispanics aren't as convinced of the contributions of illegal immigrants as they used to be, according to a study released today.

Hispanics are split when asked to assess the effect of illegal immigration on Hispanics living in the United States: 29% say they've had a positive impact, 31% negative and 30% believe it made no difference, according to the study from the non-partisan Pew Hispanic Center. That is a sharp decline from a 2007 survey, when 50% of Hispanics said illegal immigrants were having a positive impact.

The study also finds a split between Hispanics who were born in the United States and those who came from another country. When asked if immigrants are a strength, 69% of native-born Hispanics agreed, compared with 85% of new arrivals.

Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates lower levels of legal and illegal immigration, said he is disturbed by what he calls a contradiction in the findings.

While more Hispanics are viewing illegal immigration as a burden on Americans, he said, there is still a collective opposition to limit immigration. The study found that 53% of Hispanics believe illegal immigrants should pay a small fine but not be deported, and 28% say illegal immigrants should not face any punishment. Only 13% of Hispanics believe illegal immigrants should be deported.

A large majority of Hispanics, 79%, oppose Arizona's immigration law, which would require police officers to determine the immigration status of suspects stopped for another offense if there was "reasonable suspicion" they were in the country illegally. The law is on hold because of a legal challenge.

Dane said that attitude stems from Hispanic organizations trying to "blur the line" between legal and illegal immigration and painting efforts to curtail illegal immigration as "discriminatory and draconian."

"Over time, I think we will see a narrowing of that gap between their recognition of the problem and their opposition to the solution," Dane said.

Mark Lopez, associate director of the center and co-author of the report, says the apparent disconnect between Hispanics who view illegal immigration as having a negative impact while still opposing some anti-immigration efforts simply mirrors the complicated opinions that all Americans have over immigration.

He says polls have shown that a majority of Americans support Arizona's immigration law, but also favor providing illegal immigrants with some way to become legal. The same goes for Hispanics, who he said largely oppose worksite immigration raids and building a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, but support placing more U.S. customs officers on the border.

"On different policy questions, Latinos have different points of view," Lopez says. "But you see that nationwide."

The findings are from a national survey of 1,375 Hispanic adults conducted in English and Spanish Aug. 17 to Sept. 19. The margin of error is +/— 3.3 percentage points.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/201 ... nics_N.htm

The study found that 53% of Hispanics believe illegal immigrants should pay a small fine

A SMALL FINE!!!! While Americans pay billions to support their every need, they want to pay a small fine in exchange for citizenship? Why don't we just sell green cards on Ebay?

"Green cards and Aqua Budda T-shirts"

A large majority of Hispanics, 79%, oppose Arizona's immigration law, which would require police officers to determine the immigration status of suspects stopped for another offense if there was "reasonable suspicion" they were in the country illegally. The law is on hold because of a legal challenge.

Not sure if the Hispanics polled were legal or not, but clearly these numbers seem to suggest too many Hispanics perceive illegal immigration as a racial issue and not the rule of law issue it is.

Poll: Anti-Latino bias not up, fear of it is

Backlash over illegals a worry for Hispanics

By Stephen Dinan
-
The Washington Times
7:43 p.m., Thursday, October 28, 2010

Hispanic-Americans increasingly see illegal immigration as a problem for their own community, according to a new report that found a significant number of Latinos who say it's causing them to suffer discrimination.

The Pew Hispanic Center, which surveyed hundreds of Latinos to produce the report, released Thursday, also found that incidents of discrimination have not increased despite a more widespread fear that it could happen.

"Despite Latinos' rising concerns about suffering from a backlash triggered by illegal immigration, the new survey finds no increase over past years in the share of Latinos who report that they or someone they know have been targets of discrimination or have been stopped by the authorities and asked about their immigration status," the center said.

Just 5 percent of those surveyed said they have been stopped by police and asked about their immigration status, down from 9 percent in an earlier survey. Thirty-four percent said they or a close friend or family member have experienced discrimination, which is similar to a 2009 report in which 32 percent reported discrimination.

Hispanics were divided on the effects of illegal immigrants, with 31 percent saying they are a net negative on Latinos in the U.S., 29 percent saying they are a benefit and 30 percent saying they have no effect. Just three years ago, 50 percent of Hispanics said illegal immigrants had a positive effect.

The numbers come as political analysts question the impact Hispanic voters will have on this year's elections.

Clarissa Martinez De Castro, director of immigration and national campaigns for the National Council of La Raza, said Latino voters are disappointed by the lack of improvement in the jobs and housing pictures but also are being mobilized as a response to immigration crackdown efforts.

"What we have also seen, based on polling and working at the community level, is that the growing concern over anti-Latino sentiment, anti-immigrant sentiment in the country is energizing people into taking a stand," she said. "Which of these factors wins out, we'll have to see."

Since the failure of an immigration bill in 2007, NCLR and other Hispanic groups have argued that the policy debate has turned anti-Hispanic. NCLR even launched a campaign called We Can Stop the Hate to try to fight back.

Indeed, some of this year's campaigns have become quite heated over immigration. In Nevada, Republican Senate nominee Sharron Angle has repeatedly attacked incumbent Sen. Harry Reid for supporting bills to legalize illegal immigrants.

Meanwhile, even though a judge has halted parts of Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigration, it continues to dominate the political discussion in that state and has bled into other states, where lawmakers have talked about copying the legislation.

NCLR released its own report Thursday saying Hispanics could play a decisive role if they turn out and vote to protest the tone of the debate.

Still, Pew's findings that actual discrimination has not increased stand in contrast to the growing fears.

"What this survey tells us is there are reasons to be concerned, but the idea that somehow there's a wave of discrimination against Hispanics generally is false. Hispanics tell us that's false," said Steven A. Camarota, research director at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports stricter immigration limits. "It just shows the disservice that the National Council of La Raza [is] doing by feeding that fear, even though what Hispanics are telling us is they are not facing increased discrimination."

www.washingtontimes.com

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-5792--0-0.html

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

The study found that 53% of Hispanics believe illegal immigrants should pay a small fine

A SMALL FINE!!!! While Americans pay billions to support their every need, they want to pay a small fine in exchange for citizenship? Why don't we just sell green cards on Ebay?

There is no "small fine" that can make up for all the lost jobs, the over crowded schools and hospitals, all the money that has been laundried back to Mexico, the simple fact that law enforcement are turning these people loose instead of charging them with crimes because they don't want the headache of doing the paperwork, The astronomical drain on our social services. The worst part is having your own government not only allowing it to happen but condoning it as well as aiding and abetting! These people need to be held responsible!

Legal Hispanics are fine. Illegal aliens are the ones who complain. We must enforce current immigration laws. We must not condone the actions of illegal aliens (they enter our country without visas or overstay). The only solution to illegal immigration is enforcement. We must never grant amnesty because it will bring more illegal aliens. The 1986 amnesty did nothing to stop illegal immigration. What makes the Democrats think that a new amnesty will stop illegal immigration? No. The Democrats want amnesty to advance their socialist agenda. But We Americans will not accept that. No amnesty. Never.

I continue to see one theme and one theme only when it comes to illegals. Hispanics are the only ones trying to make the law a racial issue targeting Hispanics specifically. What do they call it and or what do they do when it comes to illegals from other countries who are arrested and or deported?

I'm Hispanic and I live in New York City, where we get a lot of Chinese illegal aliens.

Whenever they are rounded up and deported, somehow it's not a racial issue. You never hear a word from any of the civil rights organizations or Hispanic advocacy groups. When it comes to Mexican and Central American illegal aliens, though, we are a "sanctuary city."

So, not only do Mexican invaders receive preferential treatment over citizens of the United States and lawful immigrants thereto, they are also favored over illegal aliens from other nations or regions.