February 25, 2011
Poll: Texans want much tougher immigration policies

A clear majority of Texans wants strict illegal immigration laws that ban sanctuary cities and repeal automatic citizenship for the U.S-born children of undocumented immigrants, according to a poll from the University of Texas and Texas Tribune.

Texas voters also want to combat illegal immigration by punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants, taking away in-state tuition for the children of immigrants and opposing paths to citizenship that are currently here illegally. However, the poll highlights party and racial split on the issue of immigration.

According to the poll, 53 percent of those polled would change the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment , which grants citizenship to those born on U.S. soil, regardless of the parent's legal status. Another 37 percent were opposed and 10 percent were unsure.

The birthright citizenship issued divided Texans among racial and ethnic lines: 63 percent of whites are in favor of revising the 14th Amendment, vs. 34 percent of Hispanics and 32 percent of blacks.

Gov. Rick Perry has struck political gold with his decision to describe as a legislative "emergency" the issue of sanctuary cities, or cities where local police do not actively enforce federal immigration laws. Sixty-nine percent of Texans agree with the governor's position, with just 17 percent opposing it.

Likewise, 70 percent of those polled think law enforcement officers should carry the burden of checking the immigration status of those they believe are in the country illegally. Only 25 percent oppose.

Texans also want to revoke a law gives in-state tuition rates to children of illegal immigrants 59 percent to 27 percent.

Nearly nine of ten Texans support requiring employers to verify the immigration status of every working and fining those who intentionally employ illegal immigrants. The support is reflected across race, gender, age and party lines.

But the universal support stops there. When it comes to creating a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally, 54 percent oppose, of which 41 percent strongly oppose.

Two in five support such a path, 17 percent strongly.

Overall, this split is along party lines with Republicans opposing and Democrats in favor. Along racial lines, support for such legislation decrease from Hispanics to blacks to whites with 61.3 percent, 48.5 percent and 31.4 percent respectively.

>>>Read the full details in Ross Ramsey's Trib article.

http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2011/0 ... ugher.html