in

The controversial immigration law passed in Arizona, SB1070, has brought immigration back to the fore as a pressing political issue, and has restored immigration to the top of the media headlines and public discourse. Where does the public stand on immigration, the Arizona immigration law, and the law’s implications for citizens and communities? Now is the time to turn valid frustrations into workable solutions that uphold our nation’s values and move us forward together.

Where does public opinion stand on the Issue of immigration? ►

SB1070 (the Arizona Immigration Law) in the Public Discourse ►

The Arizona Immigration Law: Issues with State Control and Civil Rights Violations ►

 

Where does public opinion stand on the Issue of immigration?

According to a July Pew Research Center/National Journal Congressional Connection poll, more respondents believe it is very important for Congress to address immigration issues than believe it is very important to more strictly regulate financial institutions and markets, at 63% to 53% respectively. Immigration shares status with concerns over addressing energy needs, with 66% asserting it is very important for Congress to address energy needs in the coming months. The job situation still tops them all, with 80% of respondents rating it as very important; reducing the federal budget deficit comes in second, garnering 70% of respondents who say it is very important.

By demographic group, 64% of Whites believe it is very important for immigration issues to be addressed, compared to just 51% of Blacks and 61% of Total Non-White respondents. Republicans felt more strongly than Democrats on only two of the five issues, reducing the federal budget deficit and addressing immigration policy. Sixty-seven percent of Republicans agree that it is very important for Congress to address immigration policy in the coming months, compared to 60% of Democrats.

A poll conducted by ABC News/Washington Post in June finds that:

  • Two in five Americans approve of President Obama’s handling of immigration issues, up from 33% in March but still lower than the 48% approval rating in April of 2009
  • At the same time, half disapprove of the President’s handling of immigration, up a good deal from 43% in March and up even more from the 35% who disapproved in April of 2009
  • Three fourths believe the US is not doing enough to keep illegal immigrants from coming into the country, but this level of discontent is not unusual or unique, and is actually down from 81% in 2005

On a more positive note, the June Political Survey by Pew Research Center shows that a large majority - 68% - favor a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants currently in the country, and this percentage has increased from 63% in 2009, and 58% in December 2007. Many polls consistently show strong support for laws that provide a way for illegal immigrants to gain legal citizenship by registering, working, obeying the law and paying taxes and additional fines (the above mentioned ABC News/Washington Post poll showed 57% support a path to citizenship).

In addition, the country is now evenly split 44% to 44% between the belief that the growing number of immigrants threaten traditional customs and values, and the converse, that the growing number of immigrants strengthen American society. The recent trend is positive, with a six percentage point decline in the former sentiment and a four percentage increase in the latter, since 2007. Unfortunately, however, half of Americans believe that immigrants are a burden to the country because they take jobs, housing and healthcare, and this belief has grown in popularity in the last year (from 40% to 50%), even though a majority (59%) agrees that immigrants often take jobs that others don’t want.

Data from Pew Research Center for the People and the Press

 

SB1070 (the Arizona Immigration Law) in the Public Discourse

SB1070 reflects a great deal of voter frustration with federal inertia on the issue of immigration, and irritation with the use of immigration as a political tool. This law, if anything, is a desperate call to real action.  SB1070 was introduced in January by Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce, amended, and given final approval from the Senate by mid-April. Governor Brewer signed SB1070 in to law on April 23rd. By April 29th three separate lawsuits challenging SB1070's constitutionality were filed in the federal court. The law is scheduled to go in to effect on July 29th - this Thursday.

The Arizona Immigration law authorizes the police to verify the legal status of someone they have stopped if they suspect that person is in the country illegally. Public opinion on SB1070 is consistently in favor of the law, although a majority also favor programs that provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who reside in the United States illegally (see our recent blog post on this issue). Poll upon poll upon poll upon poll show that Americans support a comprehensive solution to the broken immigration system.

A recent poll by Quinnipiac University Polling Institute finds that:

  • There has been a small increase in respondents who approve of SB1070, from 51% in June to 55% in July (some polls, such as the Pew Political Poll, show an approval rating as high as 64%)
  • Approval of the Arizona law also breaks predictably on partisan and demographic lines, with a higher rate of approval among Republicans, men and whites 
  • About half of respondents desire the passage of a state law similar to SB1070 in their own states

Data from Quinnipiac University Polling Institute

According to a recent Time Magazine/SRBI Poll, 66% of respondents believe illegal immigration is a very or somewhat major problem faced by the country. Interest in immigration can be reflected by the fact that many people are aware of and are following news of SB1070, with 72% of respondents reporting that they follow news about Arizona's immigration law very or somewhat closely.

Respondents reveal their frustration with inaction at the federal level, with 49% of respondents asserting that the federal government has done a poor job protecting the nation's borders from illegal immigrants, 35% reporting the federal government has done a fair job, and only 12% agreeing that the federal government has done a good job.

 

The Arizona Immigration Law: Issues with State Control and Civil Rights Violations

The Time Magazine/SRBI Poll also finds that 63% agree on the issue that immigration laws should be handled by the federal government and not the state, and 54% agree that SB1070 could lead to harassment by police of legal citizens who look like illegal immigrants. In addition:

An AP/GFK poll found that:

  • Half of Americans believe that police crackdowns on undocumented or illegal immigrants unfairly target Latinos
  • Four out of five Americans believe that it is somewhat, very or extremely likely that police in Arizona will wind up stopping and questioning Hispanics who are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants as they try to enforce this law; two-thirds consider this a serious problem

The above mentioned ABC News/Washington Post poll found that the public is just slightly in favor of the notion that immigration policy should be left to federal jurisdiction rather than state, with 52% supporting federal control and 46% supporting state control. Support for SB1070 is more than 30 points higher among people who favor state jurisdiction. More than four out of five support using National Guard troops to patrol the U.S. border.

On these grounds, among others, the United States filed a lawsuit against Arizona on July 6th to invalidate and stop the enforcement of S.B. 1070. The aforementioned Pew National Journal poll found that just over a third (36%) of American’s approve of the legal action the United States Justice department is taking to challenge the Arizona immigration law, while 45% disapprove of this action.

The Arizona law criminalizes undocumented workers by defining their undocumented status as "trespassing," and gives police the power to detain and interrogate anyone they find "questionable." SB1070 contradicts our nation's values by overlooking humanitarian concerns, interfering with sound foreign policy, potentially compromising national security, and institutionalizing the practice of racial profiling.

Conclusion

The system is broken and people are frustrated. But the Arizona law divides, rather than sets a path for everyone to move forward together. What is needed is a workable solution that acknowledges the multi-faceted nature of immigration, and provides for a broader, more comprehensive and more inclusive reform directed at the systemic level.

Perhaps all the negativity can be made in to a positive, by serving as an impetus, providing a boost in sense of urgency for the administration to finally take action on addressing the broken immigration system. SB1070 may sound like it provides the kind of heavy-handed solution to the country’s immigration problems, but actually will do little to provide concrete solutions to real problems.

A pragmatic solution would secure the borders, and most importantly, provide illegal immigrants the opportunity to come forward without the threat of deportation, get legal and work their way towards citizenship by holding down a job, paying taxes, learning English and obeying the law. We are standing at an intersection, on the cusp of what could be a great moment in US history - a moment when we can turn valid frustrations in to workable solutions that uphold our nation’s values and move us forward together.

By Jill Mizell