Thread: Poll: Slayings don't affect immigration views

Poll: Slayings don't affect immigration views

http://www.courierpostonline.com

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

By JAMES W. PRADO ROBERTS
Gannett New Jersey
jwr@app.com

The fatal execution-style shootings of three college students in Newark this summer sparked a nationwide debate on immigration after police said the prime suspect was an illegal alien free on bail for a child sex assault charge.

But New Jersey's attitude toward illegal immigrants barely budged after the August shooting, according to a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Newspapers poll. More than half of the respondents say illegal immigrants are about as likely as legal ones to commit crimes.

New Jersey residents "don't see the types of people who are trying to come to this country illegally as part of a criminal element," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. "The actions of one individual are seen as the actions of one individual."

Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker typified that position following the Aug. 4 shootings when he focused on the availability of illegal weapons rather than the presence of illegal aliens. But state Attorney General Anne Milgram ordered local police to begin to check the status of immigrants arrested for drunken driving and felony charges.

Garden State residents continue to be divided on the overall impact of immigration, both legal and illegal. In the poll, 36 percent said immigration has been good for the state while 43 percent said it has been bad for New Jersey.

The poll found 55 percent of New Jersey residents believe illegal aliens are just as likely to commit violent crimes as other people while 24 percent said they are more likely to commit violent crimes.

Howell resident John D. Gunther said he feels illegal immigrants are less likely to commit crimes and illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than two years should be able to apply for legal residency.

Yet he also said he believes illegal immigration is a problem because "there's just too many coming."

"They want to be here to earn a living, versus in Mexico, where you work all day for a dollar an hour. They come for an opportunity, for a better life and to earn more money," Gunther said.

But Michael Cullis, 39, of Long Branch, said the very fact that many immigrants are here illegally also puts them at risk for committing crimes.

"Job opportunities may not be the same for them, so they would have to have other means to come up with cash," Cullis said.

The telephone poll of 801 adult New Jersey residents was conducted from Sept. 27-30. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 to 4.9 percentage points.

Gannett New Jersey newspapers are the Courier-Post, the Asbury Park Press, the Home News Tribune, the Courier News, the Daily Record, the Daily Journal and the Ocean County Observer.

"don't see the types of people who are trying to come to this country illegally as part of a criminal element,"

"don't see the types of people who are trying to come to this country illegally as part of a criminal element,"



Duh.

Do they not understand that if a person did not sneak in the country illegaly, than they wouldn't be here to commit a crime? In my eyes, that is where the outrage comes from. Yes, we have criminals too. But, if these illegals weren't here (like they shouldn't be), a lot of crimes would not have been commited and a lot of innocent people would still be alive.

First of all, NJ has a huge Illegal alien population-how many illegals were questioned for this poll? We know what their answer was.

Second, the Americans who answered this poll and defended illegal aliens-well those are the morons that voted in Corzine and still refuse to demand his removal from office-what do you expect? They are the same people, who, in conjunction with the illegals, ruined my once beautiful state of New Jersey. Thank you all very much!