Immigration Reform: The Voters’ Outlook Key findings from nationwide telephone survey among 1,003 2012 voters conducted January 7 – 10, 2013 HART RESEARCH.

Immigration Reform: The Voters’ OutlookImmigration Reform: The Voters’ Outlook

Key findings from nationwide telephone survey among 1,003 2012 votersconducted January 7 – 10, 2013

HARTRESEARCHA S S O T E SC I A

Public Support for Immigration Reform – January 2013 – Hart Research/Public Opinion Strategies 2

Immigration Is Good For America Overall View Of Immigration

All Voters

14%

65%21%

Good thing for America today

Bad thing for America today

Notsure

DemocratsIndependentsRepublicans

WhitesAfrican AmericansHispanics

GoodThing

74%60%58%

63%70%69%

BadThing

14%23%28%

24%13%13%


Immigration System Is Not Working

2%

Working well

75%

How would you describe the state of the immigration system today?

20%

All Voters

Very well

Needs complete overhaul

46%

Not working well/overhaul

48% of voters say that fixing the immigration system should be a high priority for Congress.


Public’s Goals For Immigration Reform

This should be a high priority* for reforming the immigration system:

* Seven-to-10 rating on a zero-to-10 scale, 10 = should be the single most important goal

Make sure all immigrants pay taxesRequire employers to verify that all employees are legalPass a long-term solution that fixes the immigration problem once and for allDo more to secure the border to stop people from entering the country illegallyPrevent employers from lowering wages by exploiting immigrant workersPrevent illegal immigrants from coming into the country in the futureEnsure that immigrants who came to the United States illegally become legal and have the opportunity to work toward citizenshipHelp unite families here that have been separated by our current immigration lawsDeport all immigrants who have entered the United States illegally

89%83%79%

73%

71%

66%63%

51%

40%


Public’s Goals For Immigration Reform: Democrats/Republicans



Make sure all immigrants pay taxesRequire employers to verify that all employees are legalPass a long-term solution that fixes the immigration problem once and for allDo more to secure the border to stop people from entering the country illegallyPrevent employers from lowering wages by exploiting immigrant workersPrevent illegal immigrants from coming into the country in the futureEnsure that immigrants who came to the United States illegally become legal and have the opportunity to work toward citizenshipHelp unite families here that have been separated by our current immigration lawsDeport all immigrants who have entered the United States illegally

Demo-crats84%74%78%

59%

75%

50%

72%

65%

28%

Repub-licans93%93%83%

87%

70%

82%

53%

38%

52%


Voters Want Legal Status To Include Chance For Earned Citizenship



Ensure that immigrants who came to the United States illegally become legal…

and have the opportunity to work toward citizenship

but not be given a chance to earn citizenship

63%

33%

72%

32%

61%

23%

53%

38%

76%

30%

62%

35%

54%

33%

ALLVOTERS

Inde-pendents

Repub-licans

Liberals Moderates Conser-vatives

Demo-crats


By Itself, A Path To Citizenship Creates An Interesting Political Dynamic

Mean ratings

Ensure that immigrants who came to the United States illegally become legal and have the opportunity to work toward citizenship.

5 10In TheMiddle

Single Most Important Goal

6.3Republicans

6.4Independents

6.5Union

6.3 GOPPrimaryVoters

6.92nd Generation

Immigrant +

7.0$50k-$100k

7.4Less than $50k

7.41st Generation

Immigrant

7.7Democrats


Voters Say Border Security And Legal Status Are Both Important

64%

31%

With which statement about immigration do you agree more?

Improving border security and fixing our broken immigration system are both important. We should require immigrants to become legal and pay taxes, while also improving border security.

The first priority on immigration should be getting control of our border. Until we do that, we should not be granting legal status to those who came here illegally, as it will just invite more illegal border crossings.


However, There Are Areas Of Partisan Friction As Voters Wrestle With Different Concepts

50%

42%

56%

40%

78%

18%

With which statement about immigration do you agree more?

The first priority on immigration should be getting control of our border. Until we do that, we should not be granting legal status to those who came here illegally, as it will just invite more illegal border crossings.

Improving border security and fixing our broken immigration system are both important. We should require immigrants to become legal and pay taxes, while also improving border security.

Democrats

Independents

Republicans


Strong Support For Immigration Reform Plan

Approve

77%

Reaction To Immigration Reform Plan

14%

Disapprove

Description Of Main Elements

1. Strengthens border security by deploying better technology and focusing enforcement resources on the most serious security threats.

2. Requires employers to verify that all employees are legal, and any companies that employ illegal immigrants would pay large fines.

3. Illegal immigrants already in the United States with no criminal record would be required to register for legal status, learn English, and pay taxes, and they could work toward citizenship over time.

4. Ties the amount of legal immigration to the state of the economy, increasing it when employers cannot fill jobs and decreasing immigration levels when unemployment is high.

All Voters

Strongly38%

Strongly 6%


Support for Immigration Reform Plan Crosses Partisan, Ideological Divides

Approve

77%


14%

Disapprove

All Voters

Strongly38%

Strongly 6%

TotalApprove

77%72%80%

76%82%80%

77%76%77%

81%77%77%72%

81%77%76%


Very conservative GOPs GOP primary voters Republican CDs

WhitesAfrican AmericansHispanics

Age 18 to 34Age 35 to 49Age 50 to 64Age 65/over

High school/less educationSome collegeCollege graduates


24%

64%

59%

69%

66%

67%

83%

Strongly approve Somewhat approve

Illegal immigrants required to pay taxes

Border security: better technology, focus

Illegals with no criminal record must register for

legal statusEmployers verify

employees legal, large fines if employ illegals

Work toward citizenship only if registered, learn

English, pay taxes

Illegal immigrants must learn English

Legal immigration tied to economy/unemployment

rate

94%

92%

89%

85%

57%

Support For Individual Immigration Reform Policies

88%

83%

Democrats 56%Republicans 58%


Voters More Likely To Support Pro-Reform Candidates

53%

8%

34%

More LikelyTo Vote

How would it affect your vote for your Member of Congress if he/she voted for this immigration reform plan?

All Voters

Less LikelyTo Vote

Wouldn’tAffect Vote

MoreLikely

56%47%53%

50%55%53%54%


NortheastSouthMidwestWest

LessLikely

7%11% 8%

8% 6% 7%12%


If Immigrants Become Legal, Earned Citizenship Should Be Available

4%

7%

87%

If immigration reform establishes legal status for people who originally entered the country illegally, which is the better way to do that?

It would be better to give people a chance to eventually earn citizenship at some point after they register for legal status, pass a background check, learn English, and pay taxes.

They should be allowed to qualify for legal status and work in the United States but should never be given the chance to earn citizenship.

Neither/should not be given legal status (VOL)Republicans:Chance to earn citizenship 83%Legal status/not citizenship 10%


28%

66%

With which statement about the immigration reform plan do you agree more?

Opponents

OPPONENTS say this is just amnesty for illegal immigrants. The plan rewards millions of illegal immigrants who broke the law, at the expense of others who waited in their home country and played by the rules.

SUPPORTERS say this is not amnesty, it's accountability. The plan requires those here illegally to pay taxes, learn English, and pass a criminal background check before they can become legal and stay in the United States.

Supporters

Debating Immigration Reform:Amnesty?



OPPONENTS say it is not fair to let illegal immigrants become legal ahead of people who have followed the rules and applied to come here legally. If they found a way to get here, they can find a way to get home and then apply to come to the United States the right way.

SUPPORTERS say it's not realistic to deport 12 million immigrants. And this plan requires illegal immigrants to go to the back of the line and wait their turn behind those immigrants who came to the United States legally, before receiving citizenship.

Debating Immigration Reform:Unfair To Legal Immigrants?

34%

58%

Opponents Supporters



OPPONENTS say it is not fair to let illegal immigrants become legal ahead of people who have followed the rules and applied to come here legally. If they found a way to get here, they can find a way to get home and then apply to come to the United States the right way.

SUPPORTERS say it's not realistic to deport 12 million immigrants. And this plan requires illegal immigrants to go to the back of the line and wait their turn behind those immigrants who came to the United States legally, before receiving citizenship.

Debating Immigration Reform:Unfair To Legal Immigrants?

21%

73%

41%46% 46% 45%

Democrats


Independents Republicans



OPPONENTS say that with millions of Americans out of work, now is not the time to increase immigration and make it easier for illegal immigrants to stay here. We need to take care of Americans first before we reward those who have broken our laws with amnesty.

SUPPORTERS say this plan cracks down on illegal hiring by requiring employers to verify workers’ legal status and increasing penalties for those who hire illegal immigrants, so that American workers’ wages are not undermined. America is stronger when immigrants get legal and pay taxes.

Debating Immigration Reform:Americans Out Of Work

30%

62%


WhitesAf-Am.

31%31%

WhitesAf-Am.

60%61%


After Debate, Support For Immigration Reform Remains Strong

Approve

77%


14%

Disapprove

Initial Support

Strongly38%

Strongly 6%

Approve

80%

14%

Disapprove

Support After Debate

Strongly39%

Strongly 6%


The Bottom Line For Immigration Reform► Importantly, an opportunity to earn citizenship is on the table, and

can achieve bipartisan support as part of a comprehensive plan to fix the immigration system.

► However, it is important to remember that the primary drivers of support for reform are Americans’ desire to secure the border, prevent employers from hiring illegal immigrants, and ensure that immigrants become legal taxpayers.

► Addressing concerns like taxes and border security helps create the foundation for a plan that many voters see as “accountable.” This is particularly important to Republicans and independents.

► Americans express a desire to resolve the immigration issue once and for all. This is not a debate they want to revisit.

Immigration Reform: The Voters’ OutlookImmigration Reform: The Voters’ Outlook

Key findings from nationwide telephone survey among 1,003 2012 votersconducted January 7 – 10, 2013

HARTRESEARCHA S S O T E SC I A

Immigration Reform: The Voters’ Outlook Key findings from nationwide telephone survey among 1,003 2012 voters conducted January 7 – 10, 2013 HART RESEARCH.

Documents

immigration reform

immigration system

immigration problem

current immigration

public support

illegal immigrants

voters good thing

united states