New Poll Says Americans Favor Enforcement over Legalization

A new poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos has found that a majority of Americans favor enforcment of immigration laws over legalization for the 11 million illegal aliens. Thirty percent of respondents think that most illegal aliens should be deported with some exceptions. Another 23% of respondents think that all illegal aliens should be deported. Only 36% of respondents think most or all illegal aliens should be allowed to stay in the United States.Ipsos pollster Julia Clark said it’s not that American views have changed, especially since the election, but rather the polical climate has changed.”It’s not Americans views that are shifting. It is that the political climate is ripe for the discussion,” she said. “Democrats feel that the time is right to capitalize on their wins and Republicans feel that they had a bad blow and are eager to reach out to Hispanics.”Recent polls have shown support for immigration reform, but the questions asked haven’t always given respondents a multitude of options. Americans have been asked to pick and choose between deporting all 11 million illegal aliens or supporting a path to citizenship. This new poll from Reuters/Ipsos, however, gave Americans more options. Another recent poll conducted by Pulse Opinion Research found that 52% of Americans prefer to see illegal aliens return to their home countries, while only 33% support legalization.For more information on the Reuters/Ipsos poll, click here.