FACT
SHEET--The State of American Public Opinion on Immigration in Spring
2006: A Review of Major Surveys
Pew Hispanic Center is releasing today
a fact sheet that reviews findings on attitudes towards immigration
and immigration policy options from a variety of major surveys of
the American public taken this spring by several different media and
research organizations.
The polls do not suggest major shifts in public opinion over the spring
as a result of either the immigrant marches or the policy debate with
one important exception: The share of Americans who see immigration
as a major problem has been increasing rapidly, and the growing concern
is especially notable among Republicans.
In addition, the surveys find that the public appears almost evenly
divided on whether immigration overall is good for the country or
not.
A significant majority of Americans see illegal >immigration as a
very serious problem, but a majority also appears to favor measures
that would allow illegal immigrants currently in the U.S. to remain
in the country either as permanent or temporary workers.