Posted on 03/31/2006 7:49:32 PM PST by Pikamax
With the immigration debate raging in Congress and immigration supporters spilling out into the streets, the latest Time Poll finds a lopsided majority of the American public, 72%, favor a "guest worker" program in a head-to-head match-up over a House bill that would criminalize illegal immigration.
The latest Time Poll of 1,004 adults, conducted March 29-30, finds that even a large majority of border state residents, 78%, favor the guest worker approach over expelling illegals. Large majorities of Republicans (66%), Democrats (75%), and Independents (73%) favor the guest worker approach.
Favor Tougher Border Security Too As a fractured Congress debates immigration reform, two-thirds (68%) say that illegal immigration is an extremely/very serious problem in the United States. A large majority believe the U.S. is not doing enough to secure its borders (82%). While Americans overwhelmingly favor the guest worker option, they also want a crackdown at the border and stiff penalties for employers who hire illegals.
The debate has Americans voicing sometimes contradictory opinions. A small majority (51%) still think the U.S. would be "better off" by deporting all illegal immigrants compared to a little less than two-in-five (38%) who think the U.S. would be "worse off." Americans would also limit illegals' access to government services, such as driver's licenses (69% not allow), health care/food stamps (75% not allow), and attending public schools (51% not allow). Support Beyond Guest Workers Most Americans would allow illegal immigrants to gain citizenship under certain circumstances.
Demonstrations Backfire? Partisanship and Geography Differences
Other Political Fallout As President Bush meets in Cancun on immigration and trade issues with the leaders of Mexico and Canada, Bush's overall approval rating sits at 37%. A majority disapprove of his handling of illegal immigration (56% disapprove - 25% approve). His disapproval score on immigration is down five points from January's 61% disapprove – 24% approve. Almost equal numbers of Americans are more likely to vote for (29%) or vote against (28%) a candidate who favors criminalizing illegal immigration. More than 1 in 3 (37%) say it wouldn't have much effect on their vote. Republicans in Congress are more likely to feel the heat on this issue. Republicans (37%) are more likely than Democrats (24%) to support a candidate for Congress who favors making illegal immigration a crime.
The biggest concern for Americans regarding illegal immigration is the drain on taxpayers' dollars to provide services such as health care and education to them (61% "very concerned"). Concern is higher among Republicans (67%) and Southerners (65%). Other major concerns about illegal immigrants are that they:
Methodology This Time Magazine poll was conducted by telephone between March 29-30, 2006 among a national random sample of 1,004 adults, age 18 and older throughout America. The margin of error for the entire sample is approximately +/- 3 percentage points. The margin of error is higher for subgroups. Surveys are subject to other error sources as well, including sampling coverage error, recording error, and respondent error. The Poll's partisan breakdown is as follows: Schulman, Ronca, & Bucuvalas (SRBI) Public Affairs designed the survey and conducted all interviewing. The full Time questionnaire and trend data may be found at: www.srbi.com.
Please Tell Me Which Comes Closest To Your Views
% Favor
Total (%)
Republican (%)
Democrat (%)
Independent (%)
Allow Illegal Immigrants To Get Temporary Work Visas
72
66
75
73
Make Illegal Immigration a Crime And Not Allow Anyone Who Entered The Country Illegaly to Work or Stay In the U.S.
25
32
22
24
About 2 in 3 (67%) are aware of this week's demonstrations by immigrants and immigrant rights activists in a number of cities. The demonstrations likely had little effect currying support for their pro-immigrant position. Among the people who were aware of the demonstrations, only 14% reported that the protests made them more supportive of rights for illegal immigrants, while almost three times as many, 40%, said that the demonstrations make them less supportive. Almost half (44%) said that the demonstrations had no effect on their stance.
Partisan differences complicate the issue further. However, these are mainly differences in degree:
Do You Favor or Oppose the Following to Deal with Illegal Immigration?
% Favor
Total (%)
Republican (%)
Democrat (%)
Allowing illegal immigrants to register as guest workers
79
79
77
Allowing illegal immigrants in the US, citizenship if they learn English, have a job and pay taxes
78
73
82
Granting temporary visas to immigrants not in the US so they can do seasonal/temporary work and return to home countries
72
72
71
Providing and enforcing penalties for employers convicted of hiring illegal immigrants
71
77
66
Stopping illegal immigrants from entering the US by taking whatever steps necessary to guard the border
62
71
54
Deporting all illegal immigrants
47
58
45
How Concerned Are You About Each Item Concerning Illegal Immigrants?
% Very Concerned
Total (%)
Republican (%)
Democrat (%)
Independent (%)
Costs taxpayers too much money to provide them with services
61
67
57
61
They increase the likelihood of terrorism in the U.S.
44
52
40
44
American workers can't afford to work for the same low wages as illegal immigrants
43
43
43
42
They increase the amount of crime
40
46
38
39
They take jobs away from Americans
35
36
37
30
There are too many people in the U.S.
33
30
34
33
Weaken American way of life
29
33
25
28
32% Democrat
28% Republican
25% Independent
Check the record of the SLimes polling companies. They also said Querry would win the presidential elections.
yes, I favor a guest worker program too - if it REPLACES the current system of border crossers who are employed illegally by US businesses. that's the key word - REPLACES the current situation we have now.
ask people the poll question - if the guest worker program is simply ADDED to the situation we have now, and see if they still support it.
All media polls are meaningless. All of them.
The first part doesn't mesh well with the rest of the results. I favor a guest worker program, but not the BS coming from Kennedy/McCain
Exactly. I'm with you there.
Im for building a wall if we cant secure the borders well enough with manpower. (this should be priority)
I have always favored some sort of guest worker program (but not for those here already illegally).
I do NOT support amnesty.
Rule #1: Never believe a poll published by TIME.
This poll was conducted by telephone. It's probably not statistically valid.
This one does not appear to reflect reality neither... the numbers are much higher than what this poll show--->> Stopping illegal immigrants from entering the US by taking whatever steps necessary to guard the border
I don't favor a guest peon program.
And TIME is a liberal rag. So much for their poll.
Yes 100% of illegal aliens favor a guest worker program over deportation...
This poll is tricky. Take these:
"Allowing illegal immigrants to register as guest workers"
"Deporting all illegal immigrants"
Note the word "all" is attached to the latter, not the former. Erase the "all" you'll get a different result. Add "all" to the first you will get a different result.
What does this mean?
What is illegal that is not also criminal?
Slime Mag spinning and spewing propaganda through its polling.
My version is that a guest worker MUST
* Have a full background check and get certified. They would then be able to cross the border for extended periods of time with minimum hassle.
* Any child born of a guest worker would be a citizen of the country of the parents citizenship.
* All employers of guest workers must report all employees to a government agency.
* All employers of guest workers must abide by the same employee/employer rules at the rest of the country.
* All guest workers that commit crimes will have their guest worker status revoked and will be returned to their country of citizenship at the cost of the originating country.
* Any one entering the country that has had a guest worker certification revoked will be sent to an outsourced prison (India or China) for life without parole.
* Anyone entering the country without proper certifications, visas, or other federally official authorization shall be sent to an outsourced prison for no less than 10 years.
"It's bullshit. I don't know a single person who favors this."
I don't. But it's tricky polling. I support some guest worker provisions, limited to agricultural jobs which have long needed some labor. I see the "felon" provision as unnecessary. I don't think we should deport parents of American children unless the birth was recent. Yet I strongly want deportation and border enforcement and workplace enforcement. And get rid of the anchor baby provisions.
There's little provision given for just what rules we have. And nowhere in these polls does it talk about how the Senate bills not only legalize "all" illegals but increase immigration and green card limits.
The headline is very misleading to the rest of the results and almost a manipulated lie if you can trust a poll
BTW i don't trust polls !
OKay....so "Time" (who NEVER gets anything right) conducts a poll in Mexico City.
We're supposed to be "impressed" with this?
Excuse me for being a bit skeptical on this one......
REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!
REMEMBER GOLIAD!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.