Thread: Most Voters Say Enforce Existing Immigration Laws

Most Voters Say It’s Better to Enforce Existing Immigration Laws Than Create New Ones

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

When it comes to illegal immigration, most voters believe the government just needs to enforce the laws that are already on the books.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that two-out-of-three Likely U.S. Voters (67%) say it’s better to enforce existing immigration laws than to create new laws in order to combat illegal immigration. Just 24% say new immigration laws are the better course. (To see survey question wording, click here).

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Republicans and 71% of voters not affiliated with either of the major parties think it’s better to enforce existing laws on illegal immigration. Democrats are more narrowly divided on the question.

Still, the majority of voters across virtually all demographic categories agree that the emphasis should be on laws that are already in place.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of all voters say gaining control of the border is more important in terms of immigration legislation than legalizing the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States. This finding has remained largely unchanged for years.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) believe a state should have the right to enforce immigration laws if it believes the federal government is not enforcing them.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on February 16-17, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

This is a rare case where there is virtually no disagreement between the Political Class and Mainstream voters. But there are ideological differences.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of political conservatives and 65% of moderates believe existing laws should come first when fighting illegal immigration. Liberals are almost evenly divided on the question.

Last summer, only 28% of voters supported the U.S. Justice Department challenge of Arizona’s new immigration law which has blocked implementation of much of that law. Now Arizona has countersued, charging that the federal government is not enforcing immigration law and seeking reimbursement for costs it says are related to illegal immigration.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters said last June that they believed the federal government by failing to enforce immigration law was more to blame for the controversy over Arizona’s new statute than state officials were for passing it. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of voters continue to favor passage of an immigration law like Arizona’s in their own state.

Yet while most voters continue to believe the policies of the federal government encourage illegal immigration, voters are now almost evenly divided over whether it's better to let the federal government or individual states enforce immigration laws.

www.rasmussenreports.com

This Country should enforce existing immigration laws the same as all other Countries enforce immigration laws. The U.S. is the only Country I know of is weak on illegal immigration.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Most Voters Say It’s Better to Enforce Existing Immigration Laws Than Create New Ones

Sixty-five percent (65%) of all voters say gaining control of the border is more important in terms of immigration legislation than legalizing the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States. This finding has remained largely unchanged for years.

This is precisely why I'm puzzled by campaigns to reach out to "Latinos." IMO the people who believe this nonsense are listening to self-styled leaders, not to rank-and-file Americans. Also, a previous poll posted on ALIPAC shows that majorities of Hispanics, blacks, and Asians favor enforcement.

It's time that the political class starts to pay attention to American majorities, not to self-styled "leaders."
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Americans first in this magnificent country

American jobs for American workers

Fair trade, not free trade

Enforce the laws already on the books.....gee, what a concept.

and still the Latino press is pushing that Americans want Amnisty and Dream Acts given to illegals. Must be they are losing something in the translation of English to spanish

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http://www.alipac.us/article-6117--0-0.html

Originally Posted by Pisces_2010

This Country should enforce existing immigration laws the same as all other Countries enforce immigration laws. The U.S. is the only Country I know of is weak on illegal immigration.

You've got that right, and yet for us to be a "SUPER POWER" we can't even enforce our immigration laws because of some in power doing everything they can to pander to the mexican government. its time our folks in the U.S. government start listening to us and not Calderon and the mexican government. they enforce their laws and we have a right to enforce our laws that are on the books and, we don't need to reform our laws just to suit Mexico "WE WANT OUR EXISTING IMMIGRATION LAWS ENFORCED" and if Mexico want to reform any laws, then they can reform their own laws and stay out of our business.

Originally Posted by BillCunnane

and still the Latino press is pushing that Americans want Amnisty and Dream Acts given to illegals. Must be they are losing something in the translation of English to spanish

"THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR ME" I want their Illegal brothers and sisters out of here.

Lightening Round 2 , Please take action!

http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1192046.html#1192046