New Message Testing for an Effective Immigration Narrative by Lake Research Partners and The Opportunity Agenda
An exeutive summary of the research findings is available below. To request a copy of the complete report of findings, e-mail contact@opportunityagenda.org. For other questions regarding the research, please contact Eleni Delimpaltadaki at eleni@opportunityagenda.org.
It's time to tell a new story about immigration in this country. The current debate does not reflect our country's values and is eroding public support for the kinds of policies our communities need. Meanwhile, the hostility surrounding the discussion opens the door for dangerous and divisive proposals that serve no one.
To address this need, last year The Opportunity Agenda met with 150 pro-immigration leaders with the goal of developing a proactive and unified pro-immigrant narrative useful for generating positive immigration policies. Together, we agreed to craft messages under the larger narrative of promoting “workable solutions that uphold our nation’s values and move us forward together.”
Building on this effort, we recently completed a series of focus groups designed to bridge several critical research gaps. Based on the input of partners from the field, we focused on several audiences that will be integral to building a solid majority in favor of immigration reform. We also tested messages with an eye to the challenges presented by the economic crisis.
This research plan was developed in partnership with key national, regional, and local groups based on gaps identified by them. In particular, the question of audience was raised repeatedly. Advocates expressed a need to find messages which not only persuade but also activate core audiences. African Americans, native-born Latinos, and progressive whites are all groups who have various stakes in immigration reform, often share the values that pro-immigrant policies embrace, and comprise an important voting block. However, research and experience have shown that they are not activated constituencies around this issue, and are, in fact, susceptible to the strong anti-immigrant narrative that is often reflected in the media, particularly online.
Focusing on these audiences, we contracted with Lake Research Partners to conduct eight focus groups in four cities across the United States. The results were encouraging. Among all groups, our shared messaging—workable solutions that uphold our nation's values and move us forward together—captures participants' mood and effectively frames the discussion going forward.
This research revealed that, similar to other audiences, these groups were extremely solution-focused. In contrast to some other audiences, however, they do not favor more punitive elements of policy solutions, such as requiring immigrants to be continuously employed, or learn English immediately.
Also notable is that even those regularly engaged with political news were unaware of the myriad problems present in the immigration system and its laws, fueling misperceptions. Participants were also unaware, though troubled when informed, of detention issues and due process issues.
Downloads
Findings: Executive Summary
Findings: Focus groups with African Americans (PDF)
Talking Points: A Winning Narrative on Immigration (PDF)
Talking Points: Uniting Our Voices - A Core Narrative for Immigration Advocates (PDF)
Talking Points: African Americans and Immigration (PDF)