Rasmussen Poll On Immigration: Pointing The Way?

[Annie]

I think illegal immigration is going to be a 'big issue' in 2008:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/April Dailies/Immigration April 7.htm

46% Prefer Candidate Who Favors Barrier along Mexican Border

Survey of 1,000 Adults

April 1-2, 2006

Election 2006 Hypothetical
Candidate who favors Barrier 46%
Candidate who favors more legal jobs for foreign workers 38%

RasmussenReports.com

Should Child Born to Illegal Alien Automatically Be U.S. Citizen?
Yes 36%
No 54%

RasmussenReports.com

Should US provide foreign aid to help create jobs in Mexico?
Yes 27%
No 59%

RasmussenReports.com



April 7, 2006--A Rasmussen Reports national opinion survey asked Americans to choose between two hypothetical candidates with differing positions on the immigration issue.

"One candidate favors building a barrier along the Mexican border and forcing illegal aliens to leave the United States. The other candidate favors expanding the ways that foreign workers can legally get jobs in the United States."

Forty-six percent (46%) of Americans said that they prefer the candidate with the harder line on illegal aliens while 38% opt for the candidate who wants to expand legal opportunities for foreign workers to find jobs.

However, those who say the immigration issue is very important in determining their vote prefer the pro-enforcement candidate by a much larger margin, 67% to 23%. This suggests that the short-term political advantage on the immigration issue lies with those who want a tougher enforcement policy.

Fifty percent (50%) of Americans say the immigration issue is very important. Another 32% say it is somewhat important.

An earlier survey found that two-thirds of Americans believe it doesn't make sense to debate new immigration laws until we can first control our borders and enforce existing laws. That same survey found that 40% of Americans favor "forcibly" requiring all 11 million illegal immigrants to leave the United States.

While the short-term benefit may accrue to those who favor a tougher enforcement policy, the long-term implications of the issue are less clear. At the moment, neither political party enjoys unity within its own ranks on the issue. Politicians from both sides are struggling with the nuances of the issue.

Also, it's important to note very significant regional differences of intensity surrounding this issue. Earlier this year, Rasmussen Reports state-by-state surveys found that people in the Southwest tended to view the issue as important as the War in Iraq. However, those in New England considered immigration a far less important issue.

 

[MtnBiker]

An earlier survey found that two-thirds of Americans believe it doesn't make sense to debate new immigration laws until we can first control our borders and enforce existing laws.

Agreed, also this same reasoning could be applied to other issues, ie gun laws.

 

[Annie]

Agreed, also this same reasoning could be applied to other issues, ie gun laws.

Exactly! Which to a degree, would be a related issued.

 

[musicman]

Americans obviously believe that there are clear-cut, common-sense issues of right/wrong and fair/unfair on this matter. Republicans would do well to leave the "nuance exploration" to the other party - who are past masters at that sort of thing anyway.

 

[OCA]

I thought that polls were skewed and biased in their questioning? At least this is the reason given by the right when explaining Bush's disastorous(sp?) approval rating.

 

[BATMAN]

A lot of that depends on who is conducting the poll. Rasmussen has always been pretty straight forward and accurate with his polling data - unless you think he's pushing an agenda.