Immigration Attitudes

With his renewed push for a comprehensive immigration bill, President Bush is advancing a potentially powerful political wedge issue, but one with an unlikely twist: Immigration fractures the president's own party at least as much as it divides the opposition.

This survey was the first major public opinion poll of the Hispanic population to be conducted after the spring 2006 pro-immigration marches and congressional debate.

Latinos are feeling more discriminated against, politically energized and unified following the immigration policy debate and the pro-immigration marches this spring.

Few Signs of Backlash From Western Europeans

This fact sheet offers a review of findings on immigration from some of the major public opinion polls taken since January.

New analysis finds predominantly Republican "red" as well as swing counties significantly more opposed to immigration - both legal and illegal - than are predominantly Democratic "blue" counties, where immigrants are much more populous.

African Americans are often more sympathetic to immigrants - except when it comes to jobs.

Church leaders and members don't always agree about undocumented migrants.

Some of the proposals in immigration legislation under consideration in the U.S. Congress would distinguish between unauthorized migrants of long standing and those more recently arrived.

A growing number of Americans believe that immigrants are a burden to the country, taking jobs and housing and creating strains on the health care system. Many people also worry about the cultural impact of the expanding number of newcomers in the U.S.