New Rasmussen Poll Shows Lack of Support for Amnesty Without Effective Enforcement First

A new poll from Rasmussen finds that likely voters overwhelmingly favor border security before legalization for 11 million illegal aliens, and 53% of respondents don’t think it’s likely that the federal government will actually secure the border to prevent future illegal immigration.The poll was conducted in late-March just before Gang of Eight member, Sen. Chuck Schumer, told NBC News “first, people will be legalized…Then, we will make sure the border is secure…I think most of the American people agree with that.” Rasmussen’s poll, however, found that the American people don’t agree with Sen. Schumer’s statement.Rasmussen first asked likely voters if they support a comprehensive immigration reform plan that would grant illegal aliens an amnesty if the “border would really secured to prevent future illegal immigration.” Fifty-nine percent of the respondents said they would favor such a plan.  Of those that said they would support the plan, however, they were then asked, “should those who are now in this country illegally be granted legal status right away or should that come only after the border is secured?” Sixty-four percent of those that supported the plan said the border should be secured before legal status is granted. Only 26% agreed with Sen. Schumer that illegal aliens should first be legalized and then the border secured.Rasmussen then asked if a law were passed to secure the border to prevent future illegal immigration, how likely would it be for the federal government to actually follow through. Fifty-three percent said that it’s not likely that the feds would actually follow through, and only 38% said the feds would actually secure the border.For more information on the poll, see RasmussenReports.com.