How Immigration and Concerns about Cultural Change are Shaping ...

Findings from the 2016 PRRI/Brookings Immigration

Survey

Robert P. Jones, Ph.D. | @robertpjones | #ImmSurvey

How Immigration and Concerns about

Cultural Changes are Shaping the 2016

Election

PERCEPTIONS OF PERSONAL

VULNERABILITY

3

How worried are you that you or someone in your family will be a

victim of terrorism?

33

47 45

51

66

53 55

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Nov-14 Feb-15 May-15 Aug-15 Nov-15 Feb-16 May-16

* Note: Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Sources: PRRI 2014 Post-election American Values Survey; PRRI/RNS December 2015 Survey; PRRI/The

Atlantic April 2016 Survey; PRRI/Brookings 2016 Immigration Survey.

2014-2016

Very/somewhat worried Not too/not at all worried

*

4

How worried are you that you or someone in your family will be a

victim of terrorism?

16

18

20

24

18

34

26

42

41

33

31

35

29

26

33

18

21

8

8

17

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Independent

Democrat

Republican

Trump supporter

All Americans

Source: PRRI/Brookings 2016 Immigration Survey.

By party affiliation

Very worried Somewhat worried Not too worried

Not at all worried Don't know/Refused

5

Do you think the country’s economic recession is over, or do you

think the economy is still in a recession?

21 21 27 29

76 72 72 70

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Sources: ABC News/Washington Post Poll, April 2012; PRRI 2014 American Values Survey; PRRI 2015 American Values Survey; PRRI/Brookings 2016 Immigration Survey.

2012-2016

Recession is over Still in a recession

CULTURAL PROTECTIONISM

7

The American way of life needs to be protected against foreign

influence

13

19

35

45

21

28

35

39

38

34

30

30

19

13

27

28

15

6

4

17

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Democrat

Independent

Republican

Trump supporter

All Americans



Completely agree Mostly agree Mostly disagree

Completely disagree Don't know/Refused

8

It bothers me when I come in contact with immigrants who speak

little or no English

50

77

66

50

35

49

23

33

49

64

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

All Americans Trump supporter Republican Independent Democrat



Agree Disagree

9

Today discrimination against whites has become as big a problem

as discrimination against blacks and other minorities

32

48

72

81

49

68

50

27

19

49

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Democrat

Independent

Republican

Trump supporter

All Americans



Agree Disagree Don't know/Refused

10

Which of the following statements comes closest to your view?

49

46

38

32

41

39

43

43

43

42

9

10

16

24

15

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

65+

50-64

30-49

Ages 18-29

All Americans


By age

America has always been and is currently a Christian nation

America was a Christian nation in the past but not now

America has never been a Christian nation

Don't know/Refused

11

Growing Feeling Among White Evangelical Protestants that

America Is No Longer a Christian Nation

45 37

48 59

0

20

40

60

80

100

2012 2016

Sources: PRRI/Brookings 2012 Race, Class, and Culture Survey; PRRI/Brookings 2016 Immigration Survey.

Which of the following statements comes closest to your view?

Don't know/Refused

America has never been aChristian nation

America was a Christian nationin the past but not now

America has always been and iscurrently a Christian nation

12

Perception Gap: How Much Are Immigrants Changing Your Own

Community vs. American Society?

22 26 25

21 22

39

59

51

39

27

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70



Percent who say immigrants are changing their community/American society "a lot," by party affiliation

Community American society

IMMIGRATION POLICY

14

Cultural Protectionist Policies

44 41 40

78 82 77

66 66 64

43 40 40

28 23 23

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Passing a law to prevent Syrianrefugees from entering the U.S.

Building a wall along theU.S. border with Mexico

Temporarily banningMuslims from other countries from

enteringthe U.S.


Percent who favor each policy, by party affiliation


15

How should the immigration system deal with immigrants who are

currently living in the U.S. illegally?

45

49

62

72

61

13

22

16

15

17

41

29

21

11

21

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Trump supporter

Republican

Independent

Democrat

All Americans



Allow them a way to become citizens provided they meet certain requirements

Allow them to become permanent legal residents, but not citizens

Identify and deport them

Don't know/Refused

16

Allowing Immigrants Living in Country Illegally to Become

Citizens, 2013-2016

63 61

53 49

71 72

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Sources: PRRI Surveys, 2013-2016.

Percent who favor, by party affiliation

All Americans Republican Democrat

ECONOMIC PROTECTIONISM

18

Are Free Trade Agreements Mostly Helpful or Harmful?

41

27

35

43 45 52

69

60

50 49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80




Mostly helpful because they open markets for U.S. companies and allow Americans tobuy goods more cheaply

Mostly harmful because they send jobs overseas and drive down wages

19

Growing Support for Increasing the Tax Rate on Americans

Earning More Than $250,000 a Year

61

36

61

80

69

54

68

84

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

All Americans Republican Independent Democrat

Sources: PRRI 2012 American Values Survey; PRRI/Brookings 2016 Immigration Survey.

Percent who favor, by party affiliation

2012 2016

LEADERSHIP AND THE 2016 ELECTION

21

Is your overall opinion of Donald Trump favorable or unfavorable?

28 36

10 8

69 63

86 91

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

All Americans White, non-Hispanic Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic


By race/ethnicity

Favorable Unfavorable

22

Favorability Gap Between Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton

56 55

38

49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Men Women


Percent with a favorable opinion, by gender

Bill Clinton Hillary Clinton

23

Because things have gotten so far off track in this country, we need a leader

who is willing to break some rules if that’s what it takes to set things right

49

72

57

48

41

50

28

42

51 57

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80




Agree Disagree

Thank You

How Immigration and Concerns about

Cultural Changes are Shaping the 2016

Election can be accessed online at

prri.org/reports

@PRRIpoll

How Immigration and Concerns about Cultural Change are Shaping ...

Documents