Poll: Americans like Arizona immigration law

May 4th, 2010, 3:22 pm
by Dena Bunis, Washington Bureau Chief

A new Gallup poll shows that of the 78 percent of Americans who have heard about Arizona’s new tough immigration law, 51 percent say they approve of it and 39 percent oppose it.

The results do split along party lines. 62 percent of Republicans support the law and 45 percent of Democrats oppose it. Independents, the polling firm says, are somewhat more likely to favor it (37 percent) than oppose it (29 percent).

The law lets Arizona law enforcement detain people they suspect of being in the United States illegally. In signing the law, Gov. Jan Brewer said that Arizona had to act because the federal government has failed to secure the border. Critics say the measure will lead to racial profiling and is unconstitutional.

Gallup surveyed 1,013 people by telephone on April 27 and 28th. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

In the short time since the bill was passed lawmakers and activists in a number of states have already said they want to see such laws enacted there. Activity has started in Texas, Utah, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Ohio.

http://totalbuzz.freedomblogging.com/20 ... law/34517/