Untitled Document
Miami, FL--(HISPANIC PR
WIRE)--April 28, 2006--While debate surrounding the recent protests by Hispanics
concerning immigration policy has largely pitted pro-immigration Hispanics against
anti-immigration non-Hispanics, the two groups share some common ground on the
topic, according to a poll conducted by Encuesta, Inc.
Both groups are quite concerned
about illegal immigration in the U.S., with a majority of Hispanics and non-Hispanics
indicating it is an “extremely” or “very serious” problem
(76% and 62%, respectively, on a five-point scale). Among Hispanics, the
foreign-born are even more concerned than the U.S.-born, with 42% of the former
saying the problem is “extremely serious” compared to 26% of the latter.
When it comes to the reasons
for concern over illegal immigration, like numbers (H 21%, NH 25%) indicated
terrorism and national security are most important. Similar numbers said
the main cause of their concern is that “entering the U.S. illegally can
be dangerous for immigrants,” (H 12, NH 11%), and 1% of each group said
it is because foreigners don’t belong in the U.S. Almost three-quarters
of each population also agreed that the U.S. would be safer by registering all
illegal immigrants through a work program or similar policy (H 74%, NH 73%).
Hispanics and non-Hispanics
also tend to concur on the underlying reasons for illegal immigration.
About two-thirds (67% H, 69% NH) “strongly” or “somewhat”
agree, on a five-point scale, that as long as it’s possible for illegal
immigrants to find work in the U.S., no change at the border with Mexico will
be effective in decreasing illegal immigration. Four-fifths (83% H, 80%
NH) “strongly” or “somewhat” agree that until the economic
situation improves in other countries, foreigners will continue to have a reason
to enter the U.S. illegally.
Most Hispanics and non-Hispanics
agree that the status of illegal workers should be legalized one way or another.
Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanics to favor eventually giving illegal
workers the opportunity to apply for citizenship (56% versus 36%), and 41% of
non-Hispanics and 35% of Hispanics indicated there should be a temporary but
renewable guest-worker permit.
The agreement (“strongly”
or “somewhat” on five-point scale) of U.S.-born Hispanics with various
policies tested consistently falls between that of foreign-born Hispanics and
non-Hispanics:
NH(%) H(%) USB(%) FB(%)
Requiring employer
verification 83
48 66 40
of employee eligibility
Military and local law
enforcement 63 27
38 22
to enforce
immigration laws
Punishment for knowingly
hiring 63
20 36 13
illegal immigrants
U.S. Constitution should
be changed 46 24
32 20
so that ... a
child's parents would
have to be legal
U.S. residents for a
child born
in the U.S. to be a U.S.
citizen
Criminalizing illegal
immigrant status 35 9
19 4
Criminalizing help to
illegal immigrants 27 7 11
5
Hispanics have a more favorable
view of the economic impact of illegal immigrants, with 90% saying they “strongly”
or “somewhat” agree, on a five-point scale, that illegal immigrants
fill the jobs that U.S. citizens are not willing to take (compared to 66% of
non-Hispanics). By the same measure, 79% of Hispanics and 57% of non-Hispanics
believe that the U.S. economy would suffer if all illegal immigrants were sent
back to their country of origin.
On a number of points on
which Hispanics and non-Hispanics differ, U.S.-born Hispanics are clearly influenced
by both their Hispanic heritage and their U.S. identity. For instance,
24% of non-Hispanics cited the drain on government benefits and services as
the main reason for their concern about illegal immigration, compared to 17%
of U.S.-born and only 4% of foreign-born Hispanics. Some 9% of non-Hispanics
are concerned because illegal immigrants’ rights are not protected, versus
20% of U.S.-born and 44% of foreign-born Hispanics.
Among the U.S. citizens
interviewed, Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanics to have indicated
that illegal immigration will influence their next Presidential or Congressional
vote more than any other issue (21% versus 11%). That’s not good
news for President Bush, whom 45% of Hispanic U.S. citizens and 51% of non-Hispanic
U.S. citizens believe is doing a “poor” job, on a four-point scale,
at keeping the level of illegal immigration to the U.S. as it should be.
Encuesta, Inc. conducted
the poll by telephone between April 6 - 13, 2006, among a representative national
sample of 305 non-Hispanic and 321 Hispanic adults, in their language of choice.
The margin of error for the entire sample is approximately +/- 4%, with a higher
margin of error for subgroups.
Data on other immigration-related
questions are available, as are breakdowns by demographic and other variables
including citizenship, employment status, occupation, and religious and political
preference. Contact: Lourdes Prado, 305-661-1492 x126, lourdes.prado@encuesta.com
