Most Americans Think Immigration Is a Serious Issue, But Other Issues Rank Higher
Still, the poll finds that addressing immigration is not a top priority for Americans. Issues like the economy and jobs, health care, and the budget deficit rank higher in importance.
Polling was conducted before Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed an immigration bill into law that requires police officers in that state to question a person about their immigration status if they appear to be in the U.S. illegally.
Eighty-three percent of Americans say the issue of illegal immigration in the United States is serious, including six in 10 who describe it as very serious. Public opinion on this question is similar to what it was in during the 2008 presidential campaign as well in 2006, when immigration legislation was last seriously debated in Congress.
Political party and ideology impact views on how critical the problem of illegal immigration is. While 52 percent of Democrats view illegal immigration as a very serious issue, considerably more Republicans (72 percent) view it that way. Also, fewer than half of liberals (47 percent) think the issue of illegal immigration is very serious, compared to 60 percent of moderates and 69 percent of conservatives.
Geography matters as well. More than six in 10 Americans living in the South (69 percent) and West (65 percent) say illegal immigration is a very serious problem for the country; while fewer think that in the Midwest (51 percent) and Northeast (49 percent). Among Americans living in the states along the southern border of the United States, 69 percent think the issue of illegal immigration is very serious.
Younger Americans are also less likely to be concerned about illegal immigration than those who are older.
More CBS News Poll
CBS News Poll Database
Americans express serious concern about immigration when they are asked directly about it, but in an open-ended question, only 1 percent volunteer immigration as the most important problem facing the country. The economy and jobs remain front and center in people's minds - 49 percent volunteer that as the nation's top problem.
AP
Just two percent of Republicans and three percent of conservatives cite immigration as the nation's most important problem. Their chief concern, like most Americans overall, is the economy.
There are now indications that the Senate's Democratic leadership is shifting its focus from energy policy to immigration reform.
A CBS News/New York Times poll conducted at this time last year - about 100 days into Barack Obama's presidency - found 75 percent of Americans thought it likely that President Obama would make significant changes to U.S. energy policy during his first term. In that same poll, fewer (but still a majority of 59 percent) thought Mr. Obama would bring about significant immigration reform in his first term.
With the 14-month health care debate fresh in people's minds, are Americans (and Congress) ready for another marathon battle on a potentially contentious issue?
More on Immigration:
Lindsey Graham: I Think Arizona Immigration Law is Unconstitutional
Arizona Immigration Law Prompts San Francisco to Consider Boycott of State
Arizona Immigration Law Faces Legal Challenges
Arizona Immigration Law Fight Far From Over
McCain on Goldman, Immigration Law
Will Arizona's Law Lead to Racial Profiling?
Jennifer De Pinto is manager of election and survey information for CBS News. Poll Positions is Hotsheet feature on polling analysis and trends from the CBS News Survey and Polling Unit. Click here for more posts from the series.
Popular in Politics
- IRS' Lerner: "I have not done anything wrong" 670 Comments
- Obama to view Oklahoma tornado damage Sunday
- Christie: Keep politics out of Oklahoma disaster relief
- WH says criticism of its handling of IRS story is "legitimate"
- Former Miss America might challenge McConnell
- House passes GOP bill to speed Keystone XL pipeline approval
- Officials on Benghazi: "We made mistakes, but without malice"
- Anthony Weiner comeback try begins: Running for NYC mayor 121 Comments
But over the decades, your government starts ignoring the laws on the book concerning who gets to be inside their borders legally and instead panders to the corporate contributions being deposited into their bank accounts. And what if eventually the immigrant workers decide not to abide to the law of the land and not leave after their visa has expired once they realize no one is pursuing their infractions of the law in this foreign country they work in.
So your government, run by two influential parties that constantly fight each others agenda just to further their own perceptions of what a future America is going to be like that hopefully will benefit their party the most, does nothing to enforce its own laws on the federal books despite the constant clamor over the decades from the citizens of the country that elected them into office in the first place.
Lets pretend that on TWO previous occasions a President of this country (one from each party) gave amnesty to over ten million people each time with the promise to it's citizens that "IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!" (1976-Carter..1986-Reagan)
But over the years the enforcement of these laws erode away despite your constant screaming voice to your elected representative in a futile attempt since 'THEY' have no need to patronize you anymore now that they are now in office. They are instead influenced by the mega billion dollar corporate empires that are throwing millions of dollars at EACH party to make sure their agenda is priority over the voters. No matter WHO gets elected into office, their corporate agenda will be perpetrated.
Now picture this, the only time your elected official wants to hear from you is when they are up for reelection the upcoming year, and suddenly this person has changed for the better and is now your best friend and "Understands Your Concerns" ...promising to vote the way you want them to once in office. After a few years of disappointment and no change from who you elected, a representative from the other party is elected into the office of your district and nothing changes once again! The people of this country start to realize over time that there's still a robber at their door! Even though they may have a different mask on, the results are the same!
Picture once again that this whole country is represented by every nationality and race of the world we live in. A country in which for hundreds of years there was a line of smiling faces waiting to become a member of this society willing to put in whatever it may take to become a viable asset and give a contribution to this growing country all in the legal way!
But when the situation arises of an illegal alien invasion on this sovereign nations border that is perpetrated by many different countries all using the same easy unsecured entrance into said country, the opposition singles out the fact that it's a racial issue. Even though this country is more diverse than any country in the world with all colors and races represented, a certain race is singled out as racist when they ask the elected officials to enforce the previous amnesty laws that were pushed onto the voting citizens of this country on many occasions before. The fact is ignored that every race in this country is represented in the outcry of opposition to this new amnesty, but in fact they single out the majority race as the obstacle to their infiltrating agenda!
WE NEED TO VOTE OUT EVERY CAREER POLITICIAN FROM OFFICE NOW!
It's not 1840 anymore and Washington isn't a three week ride away! We can speak for ourselves and accomplish more if we get fresh people in congress that want to make real change to this country! Vote in someone completely new that listens to what we want and bring down the political parties!
Copy/Paste everywhere if you agree-Eddiespaghetti007
Looks like it is time again!
I know people that have applied the Legal Way to become an American- They will be the first to tell You, that No one should just "get to be an American" because one group of people puts pressure on the spineless politician's to make it so!
I have to ask WHAT DOES ILLEGAL MEAN-? DAH- AGAINST THE LAW- UNLAWFUL?
I had this same kind of reply to a state senator of Ca. I won't mention any names - I will just keep it in the BOX) LOL
I have worked from the Age of 8 yrs. old to bring money into the home for the family!
Do NOT tell me the American People will not go into a field to pick food!
Do I think that each State should follow Az. with the same type of LAW- DAH
The Federal Government Should be doing this JOB- No they leave it up to the States- OK
And when the States Stand up & Say Enough is Enough- All of the sudden the Feds Take an interest in- NOT the OLD LAW- that they are not enforcing- But the new one that the state put into effect!
To the Governor of Az- I salute YOU, Ms. Jan Brewer- You have more back bone than most elected officials!
Don't get me wrong- someone that becomes an American the Legal Way- I have NOTHING but respect for them!
And would most likely help in anyway I could!
So if this makes someone mad-
Well it is a Good thing you are in This Country- then you can protest, pitch a fit...
Try that where you come from & watch what happens!
The powers that be better quit fighting this law & support it!
at least then they will do something for America- without asking what's in it for ME!
When was the last time you went into a store & did NOT see something in Spanish?
I can remember a time when the ONLY Language that was in America, Everybody Understood IT!- or learned it! Not the other way around!
If you are NOT an American- Do Not Expect ME to Learn whatever language you speak!
The FACT that you are HERE- Should be enough for YOU to Learn Our Language & Ways!
The Dems take up social issues, over jobs, day in, day out. They don't have ANY ability to get the priorties straight, whatsoever.
The only other administration in my lifetime, this bad, was Jimmy Carter, whose fiscal irresponsibility, was at least as bad, if not worse, than Obama's.