Hispanic Voters Reject Path to Citizenship as Immigration Solution in New Poll

By Published on July 18, 2015

More than 60 percent of registered Hispanic voters do not think a pathway to citizenship for illegals would benefit the country, and most do not see it as the best way to solve the country’s immigration problems, a new poll shows.

Of the 62 percent who felt a pathway to citizenship for illegals would not benefit the country, 33 percent felt it would hurt the economy, 7 percent felt it would overly burden public schools and 10 percent felt it would create public safety issues, the McKeon and Associates Wednesday poll found.

Only 38 percent said a pathway to citizenship would benefit the country, and 55 percent said it is not the best way to solve the illegal immigration problem.

“The overall population may have other opinions, but these are the people who are actually going to vote,” Michael Mckeon told The Daily Caller News Foundation.

Asked which plan they would support to help solve the problem, 26 percent said “no immigration until the border secure,” and 29 percent said illegals should be allowed to stay and work, but should not be granted a pathway to citizenship. One percent did not respond.

“Hispanic voters are very informed on the immigration issue and hold solid opinions,” McKeon said in a memo characterizing the findings. “Very few didn’t have an opinion on the questions.”

The research shows that even among registered Hispanic voters there is no clear consensus on how to resolve the illegal immigration problem,” he added.

McKeon and Associates surveyed 804 registered voters with Hispanic surnames in the United States July 15. An overwhelming majority identified themselves as Democrats, and most said they were between the ages of 31 and 60. About 20 percent of the interviews were conducted in Spanish, and the rest in English.

The poll found strong partisan support for the passage of federal legislation that would require an illegal alien with felony convictions arrested in a sanctuary city to stand trial for entering the country illegally and if convicted be imprisoned for at least five years.

On the subject of sanctuary cities — local governments that refuse to use their resources to enforce some federal immigration laws — the poll found a strong divide along party lines.

More than 60 percent of those identifying as Democrats said they support sanctuary cities, but nearly 70 percent of those identifying as Republicans oppose them. Independents were split, with 47 percent supporting sanctuary cities and 46 percent opposing them.

Overall, 56 percent support sanctuary cities, but a stronger majority of 64 percent support federal legislation that would crack down on illegals with felony convictions who are arrested in sanctuary cities after re-entering the country illegally.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percent.

 

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Copyright 2015 The Daily Caller News Foundation

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