74% Say Government Not Doing Enough to Secure Borders

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Seventy-four percent (74%) of U.S. voters continue to believe the federal government is not doing enough to secure the country’s borders, even as President-elect Obama has named a new secretary of Homeland Security who is opposed to a border fence.

Just 11% say the government is doing enough to secure the borders, while15% are undecided in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Republicans and 73% of unaffiliated voters don’t think the government is doing enough to control the borders, compared to 64% of Democrats.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters say gaining control of the border is more important than legalizing the status of undocumented workers in the country, but 27% say legalizing illegal immigrants is the priority. Ten percent (10%) are undecided.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of men rate gaining control of the border as more important versus 60% of women. Thirty-one percent (31%) of female voters and 23% of male voters say legalizing undocumented workers is more important.

Eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans and 65% of unaffiliated voters say border control is more important, while Democrats are evenly divided on the question.

These numbers are largely identical to those in a survey in late October. At that time, 26% of voters described themselves as angry about the country’s immigration situation, even as it was largely ignored by both presidential candidates as they courted the growing Hispanic population.

Now 30% say they are angry about the immigration situation, but there also has been an increase from 43% in late October to 49% now of those who describe immigration as just one of many issues.

Men are angrier than women by 14 points. While 53% of female voters say immigration is just one of many issues, just 44% of men agree.

Forty-two percent (42%) of GOP voters and 34% of unaffiliateds are angry, but only 16% of Democrats feel that way. For nearly two-thirds of Democrats (65%), immigration is just one issue out of many, a view shared by 42% of unaffiliated voters and 35% of Republicans.

Interestingly, while 52% believed in the earlier survey that it is impossible to end illegal immigration, just 45% feel that way now. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say it is possible to end it, while 15% are not sure.
Forty-nine percent (49%) of male voters think it is possible to end illegal immigration, compared to 30% of female voters.

In a poll reported earlier this week, 30% of voters had a favorable opinion of Janet Napolitano, Forty-three percent (43%) didn’t know enough about the Arizona governor to have an opinion of her.

In her new post, Napolitano will be in charge of immigration enforcement. As governor, she has opposed a border fence and efforts to restrict government benefits to illegal immigrants. While she favors a legalization process for existing illegal immigrants that some view as amnesty, she also supports stronger workplace enforcement.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters say U.S. immigration policy should welcome all except those who are criminal or national security threats. Thirty percent (30%) disagree, and 17% are not sure.

Democrats are less agreeable to this than Republicans. While 65% of GOP voters say the United States should welcome all immigrants but those who pose a criminal or national security threat, just 52% of Democrats and 44% of unaffiliated voters agree.

In another survey released today, 59% say a terrorist attack in the United States like the one last week in India is at least somewhat likely in the next year. Twenty-three percent (23%) say it is Very Likely.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... re_borders