Millennials are more accepting of immigrants and less supportive of Arizona's profiling law: public opinion round-up

Judi Lerman contributed to the analysis of the research discussed in this piece.

Millennials, generally defined as those born after 1980, are the the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in our nation’s history. They are different than their elders in several ways, including that they interact more with people of differing races and ethnicities and are significantly more supportive and accepting of immigrants.

Fifty one percent of Millennials report daily interactions with African Americans, while only 25 percent of those 65 years old and over say the same. When it comes to interactions with Hispanics, 44 percent of Millennials have daily contact with African Americans while only 17 percent of senior people do so (Jones, Cox, Galston, & Dionne, September, 2011). The generation's increased involvement with people of different racial or ethnic backgrounds might in part explain Millennial's increased acceptance of immigrants.

For example, fully 65 percent of Millennials think that immigrants strengthen American society (49%) compared to  one out of two Americans who say so.

Immigrants Strengthen or Burden American Society
Pew Research Center, September 2010

Similarly, Millennials are less supportive of Arizona's profiling law, S.B. 1070, than their elders: 53 percent support it while 43 percent oppose it. Support or opposition for the law differs significantly between white Millennials, and African-American and Hispanic Millennials. Sixty-seven percent of whites support the law while 58 and 70 percent of African Americans and Hispanics oppose it (compare to 42 percent of African Americans and 30 of Latinos who approve it).

Approve or Disapprove of the Arizona Immigration Law?
Pew Research, February 2011

In addition, compared to the general population, young people:

• Support the principle of citizenship for all American-born children as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, even more so than the general population (73 to versus 57 percent; Pew Research Center for The People and The Press, February 2011);
• Are more strongly in favor of in-state college tuition for qualified children of undocumented immigrants (57 percent to 44 percent; Quinnipiac University, November 2011);
• Oppose mass deportation of undocumented immigrants at higher levels (67 percent to 56 percent; Jones and Cox, April 2010);
• Believe even more strongly than the general population that there should be a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants (81 to versus 72 percent; Pew Research Center for The People and The Press, November 2011);
• Support authorizing undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S. lawfully at a higher rate (67 percent to 54 percent; Pew Research Center for The People and The Press, June 2007).

However, young people are anxious about job competition with immigrants similarly to Americans of all ages. Millennials agree or feel more strongly than other age groups that immigrants threaten their jobs or hurt U.S. jobs in general. Millennials’ attitudes regarding immigrants and job competition may correlate with their often beginner status in the employment market and the difficulty many of them may have had in the job market of the past few years.

Ethnic and Racial Portrait of Millennials
Pew Research Center, February 2010

Judi Lerman contributed to the analysis of the research discussed in this piece.