More voters than ever feel the United States is not aggressive
enough in deporting those who are here illegally, even as President
Obama continues to push his plan to make up to five million illegal
immigrants safe from deportation.
Just 16 percent of likely U.S. Voters think the U.S. government is
too aggressive in deporting those who are in the country illegally.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds
that 62 percent believe the government is not aggressive enough in
deporting these illegal immigrants, up from 52 percent a year ago
and 56 percent in November. Fifteen percent feel the current number
of deportations is about right
Thirty-two percent believe illegal immigrants who have American-born
children should be exempt from deportation, an element of Obama’s
plan, but 51 percent now disagree. In November, voters were much
more closely divided: 38 percent said they should be exempt from
deportation, and only 42 percent disagreed. Seventeen percent remain
undecided.
But then most voters continue to feel that a child born to an
illegal immigrant mother in the United States should not
automatically become a U.S. citizen, as is now the case.
Thirty-eight percent favor the current policy of automatic
citizenship for these children. Opposition has ranged from 51
percent to 65 percent in surveys since April 2006. Support has been
in the 28 percent to 41 percent range in that same period.
An overwhelming 83 percent of voters think someone should be
required to prove they are legally allowed in the United States
before receiving local, state or federal government services. Just
12 percent disagree. These findings have changed little over the
past four years.
Still, 54 percent are concerned that efforts to identify and deport
illegal immigrants will also end up violating the civil rights of
some U.S. citizens. Forty-three percent don’t have that concern.
This includes 25 percent who are very concerned about possible civil
rights violations and 12 percent who are not at all concerned. This,
too, is consistent with past surveying.
The survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted on April 1-2, 2015
by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3
percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence. Field work
for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion
Research, LLC.
Most voters continue to believe federal government policies
encourage illegal immigration.
Most voters in nearly every demographic category agree that the
federal government is not aggressive enough in its deportation
policies. Most also believe very strongly that someone should have
to prove they are a U.S. citizen before obtaining government
benefits.
Most women and men agree that a child born to an illegal immigrant
in this country should not automatically become a U.S. citizen.
Voters under 40 are only slightly less supportive than their elders
of more aggressive deportation policies. But they are much more
likely than those 40 and over to think that a child born to an
illegal alien in this country should automatically become a U.S.
citizen.
Sixty percent of whites oppose automatic citizenship; 51 percent of
blacks and 56 percent of other minority voters favor it.
Eighty-one percent of Republicans and 68 percent of voters not
affiliated with either major party think the government is not
aggressive enough in deporting illegal immigrants. Just 40 percent
of Democrats agree. But then Democrats are far more concerned than
the others that deportation efforts may end up violating the civil
rights of some U.S. citizens.
Democrats by a 51 percent to 33 percent margin believe illegals who
have American-born children should be exempt from deportation.
Sixty-two percent of GOP voters and 60 percent of unaffiliateds
disagree.
Most voters continue to believe that securing the border is more
important than legalizing the status of undocumented workers already
here and think plans to offer legal status to such individuals will
just encourage more illegal immigration.
More than half of voters remain opposed to Obama’s new plan that
will allow nearly five million illegal immigrants to remain in this
country legally and apply for jobs. Forty-seven percent (47 percent)
think Congress should try to find ways to stop the president’s plan,
while 41 percent believe Congress should allow this decision to
stand.
Voters also continue to strongly support voter ID laws and don't
consider them discriminatory.