FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Espinosa
October 2 , 2006
(202) 543-1341
 

New Poll Shows Most Americans Prefer Reducing Immigration as Nation Hits 300 Million Mark
Full Survey to be Released Tomorrow at National Press Club

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WASHINGTON D.C. – A poll of likely American voters at the end of September reveals great discomfort about the rapid U.S. population growth caused by federal immigration policies.

With the U.S. Census Bureau predicting the U.S. population will pass the 300 million mark about three weeks before the November elections, Americans are apprehensive about having added 100 million more people to their communities since the 1970 Census.

The full results from the population survey by The Polling Company Inc./Woman Trend will be provided and discussed Tuesday, October 3 rd, in the Murrow Room of the National Press Club.

Schedule of Events:

8:00 a.m. – Reception

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. – “300 Million: Milestone or Millstone?” Press conference and panel, moderated by William B. Dickinson, founding Director/General Manager of the Washington Post Writers’ Group; Professor of Journalism, University of Kansas.

Key poll findings:

  • Current population growth trends draw a negative reaction from the majority of likely voters of every group of Americans, regardless of race, political party, age, gender, income, education, marital status, type of occupation, or place of residence in the nine regional divisions in the survey.
  • Only 3 percent of likely voters believe immigration numbers should be increased over present levels. This suggests congressional leaders made a wise political choice to go back home to campaign for re-election without moving the Senate’s or the President’s plans for large immigration increases.
  • Asked how the present population-growth trend would affect their own community if immigration is not reduced, nine times more respondents said the population growth would make their quality of life worse rather than better (65 percent to 7 percent). There was little difference among the regions.
  • 64 percent of likely voters say the country’s response to current population growth should be to “reduce the number of immigrants entering the U.S.”

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