Pew Poll: 63% of Americans Favor Path to Citizenship for Undocumented

Published May 31, 2009 @ 09:01PM PT

On the heels of an ABC/Washington Post poll a few weeks ago showing that 61% of Americans support providing a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. comes a new poll from Pew confirming those results. From Ruy Teixeira:

we might have expected tough economic times to inflame cultural prejudices, thereby promoting intolerance of immigrants. Instead, the reverse seems to be taking place, as confirmed by new polling from the Pew Research Center.

Their just-released 2009 Values Survey shows that 63 percent favor “providing a way for illegal immigrants currently in the country to gain legal citizenship if they pass background checks, pay fines, and have jobs,” compared to just 34 percent who are opposed. That’s up from a 58-35 split on the issue in December of 2007.

The trend is clear, and it favors immigration reform even in this down economy.

Via Shadow.

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Comments (9)

Wake up people!   There are about 13 million illegals in this country. Roughly the same number of citizens lost their jobs in this depression.

“…A poll taken in Mexico…suggests an estimated 32 million adults in Mexico -- about 46 percent of adults -- would come to the United States if they had the means and opportunity.   And about half of those people said they'd be willing to move to and work in the United States illegally.”   (Linda Wertheimer, NPR Senior National Correspondent)

And that's just one country.   Probably half a BILLION people who would like to move to the U.S., conservatively, even with all our current problems.

The burden on our infrastructure is already unsustainable and the birthrate is growing at a terrifying pace, even as most other countries have declining populations.    But when we try to object or stop this human tsunami, this wanton violation of our laws and national will, or even to enact reasonable quotas, we are deemed godless for attempting to protect ourselves from the largest population of criminals in the U.S.A., illegal aliens.

Posted by Carla K on 06/01/2009 @ 09:28AM PT
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pass background check, pay fines, and have jobs
What I feel is missing is some indication of how extensive of a background check would be done; how severe would be the fines; and what sort of employment would qualify.
At a initial read, this is something I would actually agree with, but not knowing how the details would be implemented, it gives me cause for concern. As always, don;t you know the devils in the details.
I think when the background checks are started, all these applicants will be found to have committed border and visa violations. How do you handle that?

Posted by Kurt Thialfad on 06/01/2009 @ 01:15PM PT
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Those are legitimate questions. I don't know the details of what kind of employment might qualify.

Background checks currently in place for almost all types of applications for immigration benefits generally pull up any arrest anywhere in the U.S. regardless of outcome--whether the case was dismissed or resulted in a conviction or some other disposition. On rare occasions, minor arrests slip through--my guess is less than 5% of the time--and I've never had a client with a serious arrest that didn't come up.

Also, if an arrest doesn't come up and the applicant doesn't mention it at the interview, he/she can be charged with misrepresentation. This includes crimes committed abroad. That is almost always worse than just talking about the arrest and explaining how it was resolved. That's why any good attorney will make sure their client reports each and every arrest that ever happened at an adjustment or naturalization interview.

Nobody I know of expects that the existing background check process would be loosened for any new program. If somebody is saying that is the case, I would like to hear their reasoning.

As for fines, the proposed Z visa would have involved fines and fees amounting to between $5,000 and $10,000 for a family of four. That doesn't include attorneys' fees. I hope any fines in a proposed bill will be more reasonable, otherwise a legalization will not serve its intended purpose for a lot of people.

At the end of the day, people who disagree are going to need to find a workable compromise if reform is going to happen. This poll shows that there is broad public support for such compromise legislation, and I hope that the politicians will acknowledge that.

Posted by Dave Bennion on 06/07/2009 @ 09:18PM PT
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Well its nice to see another one of these polls Dave. They can not argue that pew is one of the best polls out there. I see that the support for immigration reform with the public is going up more and more everyday. Its our politicians that are holding it back for their own personal reasons.

Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/02/2009 @ 10:49PM PT
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I don't trust sampling polls. They can be skewered one way or the other depending on the agenda of the pollster and the way the questions are asked. I have seen polls that are in direct conflict with this one. Rasmussen and Zogby come to mind and they are also supposed to be reputable. Poll the entire country with "direct" questions in an untampered form and see what the results would be. The real truth would come out.

Posted by Mark Lindley on 06/05/2009 @ 09:15PM PT
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I trust no poll by Pew when it deals with immigration.

Posted by milo otoole on 06/24/2009 @ 03:32PM PT
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Pew is a credible poll. It is accurate in Elections. It is right on when it polls election numbers. I know you do not want to believe it but I actually think the 63% might actually be leaning favorable in the anti direction. Although in any poll you could lean a few points in either direction...I have a feeling that the actually number is 66% on the Pro-immigration side and that is during an economic downturn...so as the economy picks up don't be surprised if the number goes up to almost 70% on the pro-side.

Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/24/2009 @ 09:29PM PT
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Remember even the most right winged of conservatives can go pro on immigration. There are Evangelicals...and many religious groups that are fiscally conservative but they are all about family values and doing the humane think in life.

Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/24/2009 @ 09:30PM PT
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Most every American including conservatives are already pro-"immigration". What they are is anti-illegal immigration. The spin and twisting of terms continues by the dishonest.

Posted by Mark Lindley on 06/25/2009 @ 05:20AM PT
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David is an attorney in Philadelphia, PA, where he helps immigrants to the U.S. navigate the complex immigration legal system. Views he expresses at change.org are his alone and don't represent the views or opinions of his employer, Nationalities Service Center. The information contained on this site is intended for educational and advocacy purposes only.