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Jonathan Alcorn / Reuters
People line up for assistance with paperwork for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California, August 15, 2012.
WASHINGTON — More than half of U.S. citizens believe that most or all of the country's 11 million illegal immigrants should be deported, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday that highlights the difficulties facing lawmakers trying to reform the U.S. immigration system.
The online survey shows resistance to easing immigration laws despite the biggest push for reform in Congress since 2007.
Thirty percent of those polled think that most illegal immigrants, with some exceptions, should be deported, while 23 percent believe all illegal immigrants should be deported.
Only 5 percent believe all illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the United States legally, and 31 percent want most illegal immigrants to stay.
These results are in line with other polls in recent years, suggesting that people's views on immigration have not changed dramatically since the immigration debate reignited in Congress last month, according to Ipsos pollster Julia Clark.
"It's not Americans' views that are shifting. It is that the political climate is ripe for this discussion," after the November election when Hispanics voted overwhelmingly in favor of Democratic President Barack Obama, she said.
"Democrats feel that the time is right to capitalize on their wins and Republicans feel that they had a bad blow and are eager to reach out to Hispanics," she added.
Polls show that most Americans back immigration reform, although they often have different ideas of what that means, with some people favoring looser immigration laws while others want to see greater border security.
A group of eight U.S. senators are working on a bipartisan deal to enact immigration reform, the first major attempt since a similar overhaul died in Congress six years ago.
The senators' proposal calls for a full path to citizenship for illegal immigrants once they pay back taxes and a fine and wait in line behind others applying to become Americans.
A plan by Obama has similar provisions, but the senators want any move to relax immigration laws dependant on boosting security on the southern border.
Attitudes toward immigration are polarized by party, according to another the Reuters/Ipsos poll. Seventy-five percent of Republicans think all or most immigrants should be deported, compared to 40 percent of Democrats who think the same.
Republican Senator John McCain, one of the eight senators in the group, had his own encounter with citizens angered by illegal immigration on Tuesday when residents of his state of Arizona complained bitterly at a town hall meeting about the lack of security on the border with Mexico.
One man asked why troops had not been deployed to the border.
"Why didn't the army go down there and stop them? Because the only thing that stops them I'm afraid to say, and it's too damn bad, is a gun," the man said.
Another resident, Keith Smith, got into a testy exchange with McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential candidate whose views on immigration have fluctuated over the years.
"Cut off their welfare and all their stuff and they'll go back," Smith said, referring to undocumented workers.
McCain had been trying to explain his position: "You're not telling these people the truth. They mow our lawns, they care for our babies, they clean ... that's what those people do," he said.
The Arizona lawmaker, whose position on immigration hardened during the 2010 midterm elections before softening again, is a key part of the Republican side of the senators' bipartisan immigration effort.
Wednesday's Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted Friday through Tuesday and surveyed 1,443 Americans over the age of 18.
The precision of the Reuters/Ipsos online poll is measured using a credibility interval. In this survey, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor in Phoenix
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If you get rid of all the immigrants, who's going to do all those jobs that lazy white people don't want to do?
Make lazy college kids work so they can learn the value of money and welfare recipients.
Lazy white people, if a white person were to say lazy Mexican we would be called racist, just sayin.
All those college students with useless degrees - unless mommy and daddy (or a liberal government) want to support them until they kick off.
PHOENIX (8/14/2011) - Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's deputies arrested an illegal immigrant working inside the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant, the nation's largest nuclear plant and one of the most closely monitored in the country.
http://www.kvoa.com/news/illegal-immigrant-working-inside-nuke-plant-arrested/
MARICOPA, AZ (09/26/2012) - Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies say they arrested an illegal immigrant Wednesday after learning he attempted to enter the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant by using false identification.
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_central_southern_az/maricopa/illegal-immigrant-nestor-martinez-ochoa-used-fake-id-to-try-to-enter-palo-verde-nuclear-power-plant#ixzz2LRMlT3ot
Gregg,I believe you'd be called a kitty cat
It is fascinating how gov't can call them illegal immigrants, can tell us how many are here, have enough law enforcement personnel in every state to handle this but does nothing. I am not against immigrants becoming citizens but if they are here illegally because they tried to circumvent the system, then they should be deported. You have millions waiting to be citizens the correct way. No amnesty, no free ride....unless it is back to your country.
This is also the same country that lets celebrities decided when they can turn them selves into jail.... and people are surprised?
Not only should illegals be deported but the borders should be close for every one. I know we are a country of immigrants but the US needs to stop all immigration until the economy drastically improves. The US workforse needs those jobs no matter what type of work is involved. How about we think of americans first for once.
If the majority in this Country get what they want and deport the 11 million illegals including the children of illegals who are now adults, than I should request to be deported back to Sweden since my great grandfather came into this Country illegally over a 100 years ago. I would not want to live in a racist country.
Have a nice trip
Your request has been approved.
Bye!!
Let the door Hitcha where the Lord Splitya!
Good luck, want me to help you pack?
How is it racist to want those that are not here legally, who are leeches on our social programs and who do not pay the taxes that support those programs deported?
They are criminals - they are breaking the law - apparently you don't care - sorry - I do.
Let's see how much you care IF an illegal immigrant breaks into your home and terrorizes your family - guess you'll change your mind then, but wait - it won't matter - because you won't be HERE.
Get packin' your bags Rick
Hw can we miss you if you aint gone yet!
So you advocate allowing any person in the world to immigrate here, provided they can evade authorities?
Because you're guilty about your great-whatever doing it?
Pretty weak argument for a policy. I'd say go deal with your guilt some other way.
The Sweden Democrats has criticised the country's current immigration policies, claiming they can pose a major demographic threat to Sweden in the future. It is expected that the Muslim minority in Sweden will grow from 5% to 10% by 2030
Sounds like the Sweden Democrats are smarter then ours are, Sorry Rick, but the Democrats over there wouldn't want you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Sweden
Left wing radical illegal alien sensitivity
trainingbrainwashing, brought to you by the USDA with taxpayers money at a cost of $200,000+. He needs to be fired with the individuals who hired him!http://rt.com/usa/pilgrims-illegal-aliens-usda-176/
Homeland Security, ICE and local law enforcement don't know where they are. You can see on the TV show, "Las Vegas strip", the big Homeland Security teams walk past the illegals passing out the "escort handouts" to apprehend the drunk white people. Their invisible.
If you eat a fruit or vegetable in this country you have benefited from illegal immigration. Everyone demands cheap food, but realize we are paying for it through farm welfare and on the backs of illegals. If you buy from small producers, grow your own, and in the summer take advantage of the farmers markets you will be helping solve both issues. Also, for those of you who wish to deport illegals, where pray tell are we going to muster up the money for that. I don't see why Republicans are so hot on this, we had 8 years of Bush sitting on his hands specifically on this issue. Why when your party had the majority in both houses and the white house was nothing accomplished on this issue?
Horsefeathers Applejacks. Every time illegals are run off by INS the system finds some legal workers to do the jobs that illegals were doing. As for deportation, just lock up the human resources person at Tyson Foods and watch the whole labor market change. Employers arn't going to go to jail to keep their illegal aliens. Yes, we would be paying a reasonable price for produce, but we would have jobs to pay for our food and we would be paying taxes on the earnings, which illegals do not do.
Hear, hear, C.Moakler! I have personal experience with the illegals working at Tyson and I can say that if they were all deported then food prices might actually drop, what with labor costs dropping as more workers are brought in who actually work. But you know the UCFW would never allow that.
Simply untrue. Labor is only 5% of the retail cost of fruits and vegetables. The only person who benefited significantly is the landowner whose profits doubled by taking advantage of cheap 3rd world labor.
Nice try with the open borders talking point #27
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 signed into law by GWB on October 26, 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Fence_Act_of_2006
" I don't see why Republicans are so hot on this"
Who is calling for a path to citizenship? Who pushed through their version of the "Dream Act" by executive order? Who is calling for comprehensive immigration reform?
That's why they call them "illegal". Now there is a legal way to come into the United States and become a citizen. It's been in place since 1776. Follow that path and you won't be illegal! It's a pretty simple process.
Disregarding the mis-dis-information regarding illegal immigrants as leeches on our social safety nets, I still would vote to send them all, with their children to their home. Five days or fifty years, doesn't matter.
Sounds like McCain is longing for the days of slavery. If not for illegals, the wages for these jobs would be at levels which legal immigrants and American citizens would work for.
The only reason libs are so adamant about allowing illegals to live here permanently, is they think the Obama Claus mentality of promising them cradle to grave government support will make them all vote lib. Sorry illegals, the government spicket is slowly but surely being turned off, so don't get your hopes up.
First they pay a lot of money to find out that what we have been telling them is true; that only five percent of Americans are ready for a blanket amnasty, and then they pay this writer to twist the rest of what we think with her keyboard. We don't want more border security. We want employers who employ illegal aliens jailed. Ask that question in your poll, Missy. Polititions arn't deff, they just arn't employed by the American people. They are employed by the Chamber of Illegal Commerce.
If our elected officials are using immigration to boost votes in 2014. 2016 this is a bad idea. Choosing who can stay and who must be returned to their country of origin will an impossible task at best. I say just tax those who choose to come here and work; jail and deport those who break the law and those actually born here become citizens. Fairly simple. But if they are going to work here; raise a family here; go to school and college here; they all pay taxes in order to use our resources.
This is NO NEWS to me, I am not surprised.
The only people SURPRISED are our representatives in Washington, they are so out of touch, they have no idea what the majority of Americans want or think. They are too busy pandering to special interest groups and NON-CITIZENS aka illegal immigrants.
So much for our votes and rights ... Send them home and let them come back and apply as documented ! Give them work visa's . Look back into the 20's and up to now about ALL the peoplke that came here legally and worked hard ... My Great Grand Parents came legally and had to wait ...
jobs for americans first, then legal immigration!
For me, it's a character flaw when you flaunt your nose at the law and break it anyway. And that's what illegal immigrants do everyday. They know what the law is and they thumb their nose at it and walk, hop or ride in anyway. Which shows bad judgement and a lack of character to begin with.
I don't want those kind of people here - we have enough of those here that are legal.
Democrats feel that the time is right to capitalize on their wins
wow this comments is scary to it's who cares what the law is give them what they want we need their vote to support our agenda and power.
I think the majority of Americans would just like to see the illegal people obey the law and go home and than address the immigration problem. why should american be burden with taking care of non americans when we can not even help our own people out of poverty our priorities are all screwed up
What we have forgotten in this issue is not that illegal aliens are the focus of our actions, it is the American Citizen. American land has been invaded, and while they may not carry guns, they rob Americans of the best quality education possible by attending our schools, they rob Americans of jobs as they take the jobs formerly held by American youth (and those jobs prepared American youth for a life of quality advancement as they learned life's experience and gained additional education - not an option for the uneducated arriving from Mexico and other countries) and the middle class American by accepting inferior wage for work without working benefits, lacking the refinement of American society, they "ghetto-ize" American cities, and they clog our roads, parks, and what used to be our wide open spaces. Most importantly though, they undermine America by ignoring its laws simply by being here. We perhaps should not mention the damage done by identity theft, collecting tax refunds, social security benefits, and social support benefits which they have no right to take. When we throw away the rights and responsibilities of living in our modern society, we will have lost the country. A failure to effect mass deportation of illegal aliens and their offspring is that first sign of the pending collapse of our Constitution and the society it embraces. We do need immigration reform, but that reform must be mass deportation, universal use of eVerify and RealID, and a cessation of all immigration.
I wish our elected officials would explain to us why they think that the illegals,who didn't pay attention to our laws coming here,now are going to obide by the new laws.
I clean my house, raised my kids, mow my lawn. It is rich people like McCain that can well afford to pay for amercians to do the work that hire illegals to save a buck. Cut them off, quit giving them jobs and all the freebies and the problem would take care of itself. They would go back. They are not just taking jobs no one else wants. They are taking good american jobs and bringing the wage down.
Ann,
I'm seeing the problems first hand in Chicago. A good 40% of all patients in Cook County Hospital on any given day are illegals. The state annually provides about $52 million for illegal services. If 11 million are given amnesty it really means 30 million when you include their families. Yes, wages would fall further down the scale.
Hospitals are required to provide emergency service to all, including illegals. So what you are really saying is that 40% of all emergency room patients are illegals.
That may be true but I find it unlikely. Where did you get that statistic?
Mark
Many are on very expensive care programs like dialysis from type 2 diabetes as well as other stuff. They remain there for a long time. This means a squeeze on taxpayer-citizen services and i want to care for my citizens first.
Rob, I wouldn't have thought that was an emergency situtation, but I guess it is.
You realize,if our pols had done their jobs the last 50 years,there'd be 10 million legal latins[guess],and virtually NO illegals.We wouldn't be having this issue
We are likely the only country in the world in which border security is part of a "deal"
That's how bad washington is about border security - both parties are equally to blame
Part of a "deal" C'mon
Probably the same people that do them now in places without immigrants - hard-working American people.
SO, what are we going to DO about it? Except discuss it on forums and Facebook?
Maybe we should all exercise our right to protest?
Visit numbersusa.com to start. You can send free faxes, get email alerts about happenings in Congress. We shut down the Capitol switchboard last time they tried to pull this. We can do it again.
Get organized.
Thanks for pointing that out Jmc; NUSA is the only 24/7 lobby in WDC that represents the interests of the American Citizens in this war.......& make no mistake about it, it IS a war. If you can spare a few $'s to donate to NUSA they can always use it, but they don't require donations.....it's free to join. Please help.
To Jmcdtucson and Buddy-371717,
Thank you for sharing the numbersusa.com website! I just signed myself up and have been emailing the link to others that I know who feel the same way as I do.