Posted on 03/09/2006 5:19:09 PM PST by Sharks
(AP) Californians' views on illegal immigration have softened over the last two decades, with an increasing number seeing it as beneficial to the state's economy, according to a new statewide poll released Thursday.
The Field Poll showed that 47 percent of Californians see illegal immigration as having a favorable impact on the state while 45 percent see it as having an unfavorable impact. That split narrowed considerably from 1982, when just 19 percent saw it as favorable while 75 percent saw it as unfavorable.
The poll noted that registered voters (26 percent) and non-Hispanics (33 percent) were less likely to view illegal immigration as favorable, compared to nonvoters (64 percent) and Hispanics (75 percent). Among registered voters, only about a quarter of Republicans saw it as positive while Democrats were more divided.
With the state's unemployment rate at less than 5 percent, seven in 10 Californians believe illegal immigrants are mainly doing jobs other residents don't want. That's nearly twice the percentage (38 percent) that agreed in 1982, in the midst of a prolonged recession, according to the poll.
Opposition for giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants seems to be eroding, with 52 percent opposing the idea and 44 percent in favor of it, the poll showed. A year ago, Californians opposed the idea, 62 percent to 35 percent. Survey respondents also generally favored a proposal to reform immigration laws to legalize temporary workers, 65 percent to 27 percent.
Researchers interviewed 500 adults - 337 registered voters and 163 nonvoters - by telephone from Feb. 12-26. The poll has a sampling error rate of 4.5 percentage points.
Actually, the Field Poll is very respected out here in California. The backlash against anti-immigrant sentiment will only grow if that House bill Cardinal Mahony is against gets passed. The City Council in L.A. is looking into the consequences of defying the law too.
Okay... so 26% of registered voters think illegal immigration is favorable. That means that 60-70% (assuming there are a few undecided) think it's unfavorable.
Karl Rove really found a winning political issue, huh?
hmmm...what do you suppose it means when the article says they interviewed "non-voters". This study is worthless. It only interviewed about 500 people and many of them are "non-voters" and as far as we can tell they are probably not even citizens in the first place.
This poll was obviously taken with a huge oversampling of illegal immigrants... (or the illegal population of California is much larger than we imagine)
only 26% of registered voters view illegal immigration favorably...
there's no backlash against anti-illegal sentiment.. MSM spin
"This study is worthless. It only interviewed about 500 people and many of them are "non-voters" and as far as we can tell they are probably not even citizens in the first place."
The only meaningful statistic is the opinion of registered voters.
The only meaningful statistic is the opinion of registered voters.
65% favor immigration reform
Illegal immigration gains allies
"I think this is due to the fact that the media -- I have to blame the media -- have not shown the factual impacts of illegal immigration," said Yeh Ling-Ling, an Orindan and director of the Diversity Alliance for a Sustainable America, which advocates limiting immigration.
"If Californians were told all these devastating facts, I am very confident that the vast majority of Californians would want drastic reductions in illegal immigration."
[snip]
Registered voters didn't elect the minute man, who was for deportation.
I believe Arnold called for the border to be closed.
Oh, really? So, the largest Catholic archdiosese in the country and the City Council of Los Angeles preparing to defy federal law does not qualify as "backlash"?! I'm glad people like you keep thinking that.
Polls taken from the parking lots of Home Despot.
My daughter did a poll in NC and got very close to an election result. She and her mentor at Chapel Hill agree with you.
Part of the open borders lobby?
No.
"So, the largest Catholic archdiosese in the country and the City Council of Los Angeles preparing to defy federal law does not qualify as "backlash"?!"
One city council and a man-of-the-cloth (whose opinion really matters no more than mine) make some huge backlash?
You don't have to worry, the quisling senate will probably attach an amnest/guest worker part (instead of dealing with that part later) which will effectively kill it when it goes back to the house of representatives and we'll keep the status quo. Yeah!
Where was the poll taken...parking lot of Home Depot?
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