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Posted on Sat, Sep. 09, 2006

Survey says 76% want fences at U.S.-Mexico borders
Rep. Souder cautions that bad law is worse than no law.

By Rob Joesbury rjoesbury@news-sentinel.com

Seventy-six percent of Allen County residents who answered a survey from U.S. Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd District, believe the United States-Mexico border should be fenced.

Souder spokesman Martin Green said the six-question survey was mailed to frequent voters in every county in the 3rd District in July. He said Souder’s office continues to receive responses so the numbers are not yet final.

“I stand with the overwhelming number of Hoosiers throughout the Third District who believe that we need to secure our southwest border,” Souder said in a statement Friday. “I hope that Congress will address the border security issue before this election, but bad legislation is worse than no legislation.”

Across the district, 75 percent of respondents believe the border should be fenced.

Max Montesino, president of the Hispanic Leadership Coalition of Northeast Indiana Inc., said people should not delude themselves into thinking securing the border is a cure-all.

“A nation’s borders should be protected,” he said. “But people are confused if they think that solves the immigration problem. Comprehensive immigration reform is needed. And that doesn’t mean a blanket permit for immigration.”

The remaining questions on the survey also addressed border control and other hot-button immigration issues.

Seventy-nine percent of Allen County residents favored stationing National Guard troops on the border, while 95 percent believed English should be made the official language of the U.S.

Allen County was most divided on whether undocumented workers should be granted temporary work permits. Fifty-six percent were against it, and the rest were for it or undecided. Montesino favors work permits to grant immigrants full entry into the economy.

“It’s not amnesty. It’s not granting them citizenship. The guest-worker program President Bush has proposed would be a good step.”


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Survey says…

A six-question survey was mailed to frequent voters in every county in the 3rd District in July. These numbers are not yet final, as responses are still coming in.

1. Do you believe the U.S. Mexico border should be fenced?


Yes No Undecided
Allen County 3,759 740 445
3rd District 6,471 1,276 824

2. Do you favor stationing the National Guard on the border?


Yes No Undecided
Allen County 3,969 685 400
3rd District 6,753 1,054 755

3. Do you believe English should be the official language of the United States?


Yes No Undecided
Allen County 4,715 178 48
3rd District 8,198 255 87

4. Do you believe new U.S. citizens should be allowed to retain citizenship in another country?


Yes No Undecided
Allen County 774 3,449 858
3rd District 1,268 6,036 1,383

5. Do you support a secure ID with biometric indicators (such as fingerprints)?


Yes No Undecided
Allen County 3,614 685 708
3rd District 6,060 1,188 1,344

6. Do you favor temporary work permits for illegal immigrants?


Yes No Undecided
Allen County 1,761 2,646 531
3rd District 2,943 4,783 841

Note: The 3rd District includes Allen, Elkhart, DeKalb, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben and Whitley counties.


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Reporter Nicole Lee contributed to this story.