Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 9:52am MST
Survey shows strong support for immigration raids
by Mike Sunnucks
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Just under two-thirds of Americans want see more raids on businesses who hire illegal immigrants and to see those illegal workers arrested.

A national survey conducted earlier this month by Rasmussen Reports found that 64 percent support police conducting surprise raids on businesses suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, along with the subsequent arrests of undocumented workers. Nineteen percent oppose the raids.

Another 71 percent in the Rasmussen survey want to see the bosses who hire illegal immigrants arrested, with only 15 percent opposed.

The survey results come in the midst of the nasty political fight between the Obama administration and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio over the MCSO’s immigration sweeps.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency has restricted an agreement with Arpaio that previously allowed the hard-nosed sheriff to enforce federal immigration laws out on the streets. The new pact only allows the MCSO to make immigration charges on those being booked into county jails on other charges.

Still, Arpaio conducted immigration sweeps in Surprise and Peoria last weekend, arresting suspected illegal immigrants under state laws.

The Rasmussen survey found 46 percent want local police to be able to question those on their immigration status; 33 percent oppose the idea.

While the poll shows support for tougher immigration enforcement there are also concerns about those efforts trampling individual rights.

Sixty-one percent are concerned immigration sweeps and raids might violate legal citizens’ civil rights while 38 percent aren’t concerned, according the 1,000-person survey.

The support for more raids and arrests of undocumented workers and business owners and executives who hire them comes as the Obama administration prepares a push for immigration reforms that are likely to include some kind of legal citizenship path or amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

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