Americans are more concerned about legal immigrants committing atrocities in the United States than they were a few years ago, according to a new poll, which is mostly driven by Republican concerns. Democrats continue to discover a wide range of advantages from immigration.
According to the surveys conducted by The Associated Press- NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, a large proportion of Americans believe that immigrants contribute to the nation’s economic growth and make significant contributions to American society. But when it comes to legal refugees, U. S. people see fewer big gains than they did in the past, and more big risks.
About 4 in 10 Americans believe that legal immigration brings with it a significant advantage for American businesses to gain experienced laborers ‘ skills in areas like science and technology. Legal immigrants, according to a similar share ( 38 % ), significantly improve American culture and values.
When 59 % of Americans said experienced expatriate workers who enter the country lawfully were a main benefit, and 50 % said legal immigrants contribute a significant advantage by enriching American culture, both those numbers were down.
Meanwhile, the share of Americans who say that there’s a major risk that legal immigrants will commit crimes in the U. S. has increased, going from 19 % in 2017 to 32 % in the new poll.
Republicans were more likely than Democrats to state that immigration is important to them personally, and 41 % now believe there is a significant risk that legal immigrants will commit crimes in the United States, up from 20 % in 2017. Democrats are more likely to see significant risks and fewer benefits from newcomers who enter the country both legally and illegally general, despite their tendency to be most concerned about those who enter the country illegally.
Bob Saunders is a 64- yr- ancient separate from Voorhees, New Jersey. He is particularly concerned about the number of immigrants entering the southern border and being finally released into the country because of President Joe Biden’s performance in terms of immigration and border security. He stressed that there’s a distinction between legal and illegal immigration. Williams argued that it’s crucial to learn about the history of the immigrants who are coming to the United States and that legal immigration boosts the economy. He also made note of the newcomers in his own home.
” It’s no anti- immigration”, Williams said. ” It’s against- illegal emigration”.
Some Republicans, 71 %, say there’s a chance of people in the country improperly coming to the U. S. and committing crimes, although some studies have found refugees are less drawn to violent crime than indigenous- born people. About 6 in 10 Democrats are concerned that there is a significant risk of them taking National work, that their population growth will weaken National identity, or that they will vote illegally despite the fact that only a small number of noncitizen citizens have been found to be uncovered, compared to 80 % of those who think there are a significant risk of people entering the country without permission, and that there is a significant risk of them putting pressure on public assistance programs.
Amber Pierce, a 43- year- ancient Republican from Milam, Texas, says she understands that a lot of migrants are seeking a better lifestyle for their children, but she’s also concerned migrants may be a drain on government services.
” I think a lot of them come here and get free health care, and they take away from the members who have worked around,” Pierce said. ” They get a free ride. I do n’t think that’s fair”.
Liberals, on the other hand, are more likely to benefit from immigration, despite the fact that even half of Democrats today believe that legal immigrants are contributing significant amounts to American businesses, down more than 20 percentage points from 2017. However, they are more likely than Republicans to believe that the United States values people’s ability to escape violence or find economic opportunities. S’s identity as a nation.
” People who are coming, are coming for good reason. It’s how many of us got here”, said Amy Wozniak, a Democrat from Greenwood, Indiana. Wozniak claimed that previous immigrant waves originated in Europe. Now immigrants are coming from different countries but that does n’t meant they’re not fleeing for justifiable reasons, she said:” They’re not all drugs and thugs”.
There’s also a divide among partisans about the value of diversity, with 83 % of Democrats saying that the country’s diverse population makes it at least moderately stronger, compared with 43 % of Republicans and Independents. Although about half of Democrats also believe this to be true, republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe that a common American culture and set of values are crucial to the country’s identity as a whole.
Republicans in particular are more likely than Americans to claim that immigrants have significantly altered the country over the past five years. About 3 in 10 Americans believe immigrants have had a significant impact on their local communities, compared to 6 in 10 who claim the same. Republicans are particularly divided on how they perceive community impact and its effects on the country as a whole.
There is widespread bipartisan consensus on how to handle border-crossing Mexico immigration. Employing more Border Patrol agents, which is the most popular question, is supported by about 8 in 10 Republicans and about 50 % of Democrats. Majorities in both parties favor hiring more immigration judges and court personnel.
There is a much larger partisan divide there, with more Republicans than Democrats supporting this approach, but about half of Americans support reducing the number of immigrants who are permitted to seek asylum in the United States when they enter the country. The least favored and most polarizing of the four options is building a wall, which was former president Donald Trump’s signature policy goal. About 4 in 10 favor building a wall, including 77 % of Republicans but just 12 % of Democrats.
Donna Lyon is a Democratic- leaning independent from Cortland, New York. She thinks a border wall would not stop migrants well. She supports, however, adding that “it would stop all the backup that we have” by hiring more Border Patrol agents and more immigration court judges to deal with the growing backlog of immigration court cases.
There has n’t been a significant increase in funding for more immigration judges in the last two years, despite the fact that Congress just recently approved funding to hire about 2, 000 more Border Patrol agents. Many on both sides of the aisle claim that asylum cases take far too long to be decided, leaving migrants waiting for years before a decision, but parties have failed to reach a consensus on how to approach the issue.
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The poll of 1, 282 adults was conducted March 21- 25, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability- based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U. S. population. For all respondents, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
