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 essentially driven by Republican concerns. Democrats continue to see a wide range of advantages from immigration.
According to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, a significant proportion of Americans believe refugees are significant contributors to American society and contribute to the country’s economic growth. 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 claim that when newcomers officially enter the country, it is a big plus for American businesses to gain the expertise of qualified personnel in fields like science and technology. A similar share ( 38 % ) also claim that legal immigrants make a significant difference by enhancing American values and culture.
When 59 % of Americans said experienced expatriate workers who enter the country lawfully were a key 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 acknowledge that immigration is important to them personally, and 41 % now, up from 20 % in 2017, believe that the risk of legal immigrants entering the country will be significant. Democrats are more likely to see significant risks and less benefits from newcomers who enter the country both officially and improperly, despite their preoccupation with refugees who do so illegally.
Bob Saunders is a 64- yr- ancient separate from Voorhees, New Jersey. He is particularly concerned about the number of immigrants coming to the southern boundary who are ultimately released into the country and thinks of President Joe Biden’s performance in terms of emigration and border security. He stressed that there’s a distinction between legal and illegal immigration. According to Saunders, it’s crucial to learn about the immigration history of the country and how legitimate immigration supports the market. He also made note of the refugees in his own home.
” It’s never anti- immigration”, Williams said. ” It’s pro- 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 British work, that their community development will weaken American identification, or that they will vote illegally despite the fact that only a small number of noncitizen citizens have been found to be uncovered. In contrast, 80 % of them believe there is a significant chance that people in the country will do so without permission.
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 over here and find free health care, and they take away from the people who have worked here and are people,” 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 only half of Democrats today believe that legal immigrants are contributing significant amounts to American businesses, down more than 20 percent items from 2017. However, they are more likely than Republicans to believe that the United States values people’s ability to escape violence or get economic prospects. S’s id as a society.
” People who are coming, are coming for good reason. It’s how many of us got around”, said Amy Wozniak, a Democrat from Greenwood, Indiana. Wozniak claimed that prior 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. Democrats are more likely than Democrats to believe that a shared American society and set of values are crucial to the country’s personality, despite the fact that about half of Democrats also believe this to be crucial.
Republicans in particular are more likely than Americans to claim that refugees have considerably altered the country over the past five years. About 3 in 10 Americans believe refugees have had a significant impact on their local communities, compared to 6 in 10 who claim the same. Republicans are mainly divided on how they view community effects and its effects on the region as a whole.
There is widespread bipartisan consensus on how to handle border-crossing Mexico emigration. Employing more Border Patrol agents, which is supported by about 8 in 10 Democrats and about 50 % of Liberals, is the most common question. Legislatures of both parties favor hiring more immigration courts and judge staff.
There is a much larger political divide there, with more Republicans supporting this approach than Democrats, but about half of Americans support reducing the number of refugees who are permitted to request asylum at the U.S. when they enter the country. The least favored and most controversial of the four options is building a wall, which was original President Donald Trump’s personal plan goal. About 4 in 10 favor building a wall, including 77 % of Republicans but just 12 % of Democrats.
Donna Lyon is a Democrat- leaning separate from Cortland, New York. She thinks a boundary wall would not be effective in preventing workers. However, she supports hiring more Border Patrol agents and more emigration court courts to handle the growing number of immigration judge instances:” That would prevent all the copy that we have.”
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. Some on both sides of the aisle have claimed that it takes far too long to decide asylum circumstances, which leaves migrants waiting for years in the country while the parties have failed to reach a consensus on how to approach the issue.
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The surveys of 1, 282 adults was conducted March 21- 25, 2024, using a test drawn from NORC’s possibility- based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be official of the U. S. people. For all respondents, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
