CBS Poll: Most Support Immigration Reform
Key Provisions Of Reform Bill Receive Wide Support From Both Republicans And Democrats
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Hot Topic: Immigration
Video Coverage: CBS News examines the heated debate over immigration in the United States.
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Immigration Rallies
Demonstrators demand path to citizenship for estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.
A new CBS News/New York Times Poll finds most Americans surveyed support measures contained in the bill, including a guest worker program and the possibility of permanent residency for illegal immigrants who have lived and worked in the U.S. About half support changing the immigration system to give priority to immigrants based on background rather than family ties.
Unlike other issues (like the war in Iraq) which typically have reflected partisan polarization, support from the public for these reforms is, for the most part, bipartisan.
Views Of Illegal Immigration
Most Americans are highly critical of current U.S. immigration policy, especially when it comes to illegal immigration. Half thinks that current immigration policy has so much wrong with it that it needs to be completely rebuilt. Almost as many see it as needing fundamental changes; few think just minor changes are needed.
U.S. Immigration Policy Needs:
… To Be Completely Rebuilt
… Fundamental Changes
… Minor Changes
Illegal immigration is a particular concern; 61% think it is a very serious problem, and another 30% think it is somewhat serious. Concern about the issue has risen in the past few months, from 56% in January.
In part, this may be because so many see illegal immigration as widespread. The majority of Americans ¬— three in four — believe that most of the people who have come to the United States in the last few years are in the country illegally. Just 16% think most are here legally.
Americans have a positive impression of immigrants generally. When asked without reference to immigrants’ legality, majorities of Americans say immigrants contribute to this country and work as hard, or harder, than people born here.
However, illegal immigrants are viewed particularly negatively: 70% think they weaken the economy because they use public services but don't all pay taxes; 45% think that terrorism against the U.S. has increased as a result of illegal immigration.
Americans point to the government as not addressing that issue adequately. More then four in five — 82% — think the U.S. could be doing more along its borders to keep illegal immigrants from crossing over into the U.S.; just 14% think the U.S. is now doing all it can.
Is The U.S. Doing All That Can Be Expected To Keep Illegal Immigrants Out?
Yes
No
When asked to volunteer the most important problem facing the country today, immigration ties for third place, along with gas prices. (The war in Iraq tops the list by a wide margin.)
The Most Important Problem Facing The U.S. Today:
War In Iraq
Economy and Jobs
Gas/Heating Oil Crisis
Immigration
Health Care
Nearly four in five Americans have heard or read at least some about changing U.S. immigration laws, including 26% who have heard or read a lot.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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See all 240 CommentsEVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..
I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.
AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..
DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,for-america@hotmail.com
ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION
they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..
just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..
if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!
its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..
they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out
%u2026 To Be Completely Rebuilt
49%
%u2026 Fundamental Changes
41%
%u2026 Minor Changes
8%
Put me in the completely rebuilt category! Yes the last time amnesty was done they scr*ewed up and never followed through on border security or a decent Guest Worker program, but just because they scr*ewed it up last time does not mean these are bad ideas. IF they fix the border (and no that does not mean machine guns and land mines like some idiots propose) AND provide a realistic Guest Worker Program (500,000 minimum) AND drop this ridiculous $5,000 fine AND the need to return home first, then this program would make some sense. As it stands now though unless they gut the whole immigration system (which is broken beyond a few fixes) then the undocumented workers will stay undocumented and below the radar and I would too if I were them. Either fix the whole da*mn thing or fix none of it and let's go on as it is now.
We need to use a little more stick and a little less carrot.
Read my editorial letter in todays LA Times.
Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 01:47 PM : May 25, 2007
Not sure my Nancy had anything to do with this, yet. As for Kennedy....all I had to hear was that his fingerprints were on it and I knew it was full of she-ot! Hopefully, it will die a quick, deserving death - like Teddy.
"Illegals and Terrorists have NO rights"
Startling to see those two in the same sentence but food for thought. Terrorists are using the same channels to enter the United States that have flooded our country with illegal Mexican immigrants.
Oh, you most have eaten a lot of beans and are projecting your racist "pedos."
Posted by gunnerv1 at 02:31 PM : May 25, 2007
Read the above ignorant statement and then tell me again this has nothing to do with racism. This is classic and typical of many of the anti-immigration crowd and has been for the last century and a half whenever a new group moves toward America. Beaners, Wops, Kikes, Ni*gers, Micks, Krauts, etc., etc., etc. It's disgusting to think that there are still Americans who should be wearing the sheets and hat of the KKK!
Liar. Your terrorists have all arrived as legal immigrants wanting to take lessons in flying school. Your illegals have arrived to weed onion fields. Yet another racist "pedo."
Posted by nottellin1 at 02:17 PM : May 25, 2007
Furthermore, anyone who feels they might not pass a background check definitely won't come forward. These are the same people the government is supposedly interested in finding.
Yet, another lie. I know way too many native-born Americans who have absolutely no insurance. We also know that health insurance costs of business are making them have to shut down. Plus, if you want Americans to be the ones doing the field work, you can be sure that no farmer has enough money to pay for the high cost of health insurance for seasonal labor.
Just more boot stomping propaganda -
The Mexican immigrants reak of predjudice and hatred for American's of white decent and even more of blacks. The media writes what they want. I see a small percentage of TAXPAYERS supporting this - those seeking peon workers to do their deeds CHEAP, corporations and just folks who have no qualms about USING others and their means to achieve a personal purpose. This is not American - it is just a sign of the times and the selfish - self/interest of personal gain.
Funding Hate - Foundations and the Radical Hispanic Lobby- Part III
The Social Contract (Fall 2000)
by Joseph Fallon
http://www.thesocialcontract.com/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?articleID=912&terms=ford%20foundation
Posted by kirstinharr
I wouldn't worry too mush about the voting block created by the portion of the invaders that are Mexican. In Mexico's 2000 election, only 46% of eligible voters did vote.
An article by medical lawyer Madeleine Pelner in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons concluded that the burden of illegal immigrants on the health care system in the US has forced many hospitals to close due to unpaid bills and the unfunded mandate of EMTALA. Between 1993 and 2003, 60 hospitals in California alone were forced to close, and many others had to reduce staff or implement other procedures which reduced the level of service they could provide. The article attributes these closings mainly to illegal immigration. [33] "In Fiscal Year 2001, the total cost for emergency medical care for illegal immigrants in California was more than $648 million. At the same time, the California Association of Public Hospitals notes that California%u2019s public hospitals face a $600 million a year budget deficit
Uh huh...yeah...right. Sure you will.
Americans have to maintain TWO jobs to support mexican workers. They get the best of both -
UNION wages - wives that don't have to work - the luxury of someone else supporting MANY children. We have virtually NO time between the jobs, the cost of paying OURSELVES for child care AND we don't get free wic,health,dental,housing,education etc...
We don't have the right to PROTEST-demand and whine about our own "tired and hungry".
SICK - anyone who supports this supports the demise of middle class america and apparently others paying their way in life.
The coalition maintains tomato pickers are generally paid about 45 cents per 32-pound bucket. The extra penny a pound would boost their pay to about 77 cents a bucket. The Tomato Exchange puts the number closer to 50 cents per bucket, with average hourly wages at $12.48 per hour.
Coalition leader Lucas Benitez said growers around the world have signed on to fair trade production, whereby customers pay more for produce or coffee and called the Florida agriculture industry "out of step."
"A true farmer would be glad to see his workers earn more money, especially when he is not paying for it," Benitez said.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_FARMWORKERS_TOMATOES_FLOL-?SITE=FLDAY&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-05-24-17-54-41
Posted by drummer94 at 02:45 PM : May 25, 2007
ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!
There's about as much chance of that as there is that you'll sprout wings and fly!! Besides most of you anti-immigrant types wouldn't last an hour in the fields!! LOL!
Good for a chuckle though.
This just goes to show how much the media can be manipulated by the power elite/corporate giants.
When people use the words bean*ers,spiks, and browning of America, they are the BIGGEST racists. Furthermore, they use lies to make arguments in an attempt to justify their racism. That you would defend them and propagate more lies, reveals that you are just as racist.
MYTH: Americans won't do the work that illegals do.
TRUTH: Prior to 1965 when the disastrous Immigration Bill was passed, there was very little immigration. In fact, between 1925 and 1965, there was even a period of net emigration out of the United States. During this time, our grass was getting cut, our meat was being packed, our children were being watched and our houses were being cleaned. The idea that somehow we suddenly can't run a country without an unlimited supply of foreigners is absurd.
Those in favor of foreign labor are corporations who are addicted to cheap labor. They are the ones who are benefiting. But their benefit comes at the American tax payer's expense when you consider that the American tax payer is virtually subsidizing the labor costs of the greedy corporations by supplying the illegal foreign workers and their families with welfare, free education, free medical, WICs, housing assistance, etc. -- something the corporations won't do.
Americans won't allow themselves to be exploited like illegals do, but they WILL do the work that illegals do for fair compensation and benefits. If Americans did the work that illegals do at higher pay, would that benefit the consumer? You bet it would in the long run. But many Americans who do not care about America's future are consumers who favor the idea of exploiting illegal workers because it keeps commodity and service prices down in the short term.
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b30c0535a05.htm
Funny, but every time I've said the same thing many of the people who post here have said I was the one in the minority. Yet it turns out that 62% of Americans agree with me.
Gosh...62%...that sure is a BIG minority. lol!
Posted by gunnerv1 at 02:56 PM : May 25, 2007
Ahhh but it's my country too and according this poll, most Americans disagree with you. Shame huh, but that's the American way.
Posted by rudy654
FYI-RandalDS taught me the phrase 'browning or America', I was hoping he just meant that we'd all be tanner over the summer.
This just goes to show how much the media can be manipulated by the power elite/corporate giants.
Posted by terry12312 at 02:55 PM : May 25, 2007
Good catch. CBS did not say most Americans support this immigration bill. They did not ask that question. They said "most Americans surveyed support measures contained in the bill." Rasmussen did ask people if they supported the bill and 26% said yes. 48% opposed it.
In a relatively short period of time, foreigners in many American cities will outnumber Americans, just as they are now doing in Los Angeles and San Diego, Ca. And just as is now happening in Sweden, our national culture will be trampled on and replaced by foreign culture. Politicians will be elected of and by foreign invaders and their supporters on the Left, just as they are now doing in Los Angeles. Once elected to office, they can then begin changing our laws to encourage and legitimize more foreign influence on our country and culture.
People like me who favor preserving American culture and oppose losing it to, and having it replaced by alien cultures, will be branded as "racists" and "hate mongers" and drummed out of public view by liberal socialists who bow at the alter of "cultural diversity" and "political correctness" all in the interest of using minorities with little knowledge of, or loyalty to American culture, as a voter base to increase their political power.
If you speak out against illegal invaders from Mexico in our country and want them deported, you are a racist and insensitive to their needs. If you speak out against the Islamic culture and demonstrate it's incompatibility with American culture, you are labeled a racist and
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/24813.html
Posted by nottellin1 at 03:03 PM : May 25, 2007
Like many other words and phrases though how you use it changes it's impact. You and others use the phrase in a racist way. There is a difference. It's like if Chong calls Cheech a beaner it's funny. If gunnerv1 does it it's racist. It's all about context. Get it?
Posted by makeafence at 03:06 PM : May 25, 2007
Oh for Pete's sake! Rasmussen's credibility is right down there with *** Cheney's! They haven't got one right yet because they only survey right wing republicans! Quoting them is the same thing (or worse) as quoting Bill Orally or Rush Limbaugh! LOL!
Posted by gunnerv1 at 02:56 PM : May 25, 2007
I bet most "illegal" immigrants do more work in a day than you do in a week! There are a lot of reasons to deport "illegal" immigrants, their work ethic is not one of them.
see lframerica.com/march2 for more info.
Posted by speakengl at 03:18 PM : May 25, 2007
In about 6 years when my wife retires. We're looking to live in the fishing village of Zihuantinejo, a couple of hours drive north of Acapulco. Thanks for asking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_the_United_States
It doesn't need rebuilding, just enforce current laws and requirements.
Yes the last time amnesty was done they scr*ewed up and never followed through on border security or a decent Guest Worker program, but just because they scr*ewed it up last time does not mean these are bad ideas.
Not bad ideas, but do YOU really expect them to follow through on this any better than in 1986?
IF they fix the border (and no that does not mean machine guns and land mines like some idiots propose)
Nah, too big of a chance that one of our citizens would get hurt.
AND drop this ridiculous $5,000 fine AND the need to return home first, then this program would make some sense.
Yes the fine is too ridiculously LOW. Let's make them legal, and then give them 5 yrs to reach an economic level to be paying taxes on the level of most middle-class citizens, if they can, then start the proceeding for citizenship, if not, well sorry, but it looks like we are going to exercise our right to terminate your residency here.
Posted by coffeehead at 03:07 PM : May 25, 2007
First of all, coffeehead, don't you think you are being a little melodramatic calling these people "foreign invaders"? It conjures up an image of barbarian hords carrying battle axes or something. Most of these immigrants are simple, hard working people who come here to pick strawberries or paint houses, not rape and pillage like an invading army.
Second, last time I checked, we "Americans" were all children of immigrants. My great grandfather, in fact, was what you would call an "illegal" immigrant: he jumped off a Prussian military refueling in Milwaukee and swam to shore. He spoke only German and lived in a German neighborhood. Was he an invader? No, he wanted the American dream and he attained it. Did he stay loyal to Germany? No, he was a proud American and his son fought for US WWII against the Nazis. He assimilated and so will the Mexicans.
Your rhetoric is overly alarmist. America has always been "influenced" by foreigners and hopefully always will be!
deport them all to iraq and afghanistan...
that will dissuade more from coming here...
Have you read what the UNESCA (UN MANDATE) is doing to this world? We are not allowed "culture" to be national. It is MANDATED that our governments make us "multi-cultural". Zippo American History - new age "American C I V I C S". They actually TELL the governments HOW to get this pushed. Including actors and "key phrases" to put out in the public. Our museums are made to carry "multi-cultural" education and we in America even have a "new world order" freakish monument stating so... google "georgia guidestones".
04013 - MP IV will contribute to the United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) with the aim of fostering values and attitudes of respect for cultural diversity and pluralism in education. Emphasis will be placed on cultural aspects underlining the importance of recognizing cultural diversity and the variety of socio-cultural contexts in the world
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2309&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/thegeorgiaguidestones.htm
Posted by gunnerv1 at 02:31 PM : May 25, 2007
Although I don't agree with the racist comment here, it is true that those illegals that are using public aid, will vote for the candidate that will most likely continue letting them suck and the US teat.
Read the above ignorant statement and then tell me again this has nothing to do with racism. This is classic and typical of many of the anti-immigration crowd and has been for the last century and a half whenever a new group moves toward America. Beaners, Wops, Kikes, Ni*gers, Micks, Krauts, etc., etc., etc. It's disgusting to think that there are still Americans who should be wearing the sheets and hat of the KKK!
Posted by RandalDS at 02:38 PM : May 25, 2007
RandalDS( with one L); you love to throw the racist statement around, even to those who are not racist. I try to not see color, and know that it is very difficult to not Be racist, especially if your parents are/were. I like to think that I am suceeding, but, for me this issue has little to do with race, except that the majority of the illegals that I see are of Mexican/Hispanic descent. This issue to me is about the sovereignity of our country.
Give us an online poll question that is not controlled by a caller. Every poll question I have seen like this has huge numbers against any kind of path to citizenship. I have noticed that when CBS does have an online poll question, the results are given in percentages only. There are no numbers of participants available. I have seen polls on CNN have over 100,000 people taking part. What a difference! Their latest poll question on immigration showed the vast majority say that this new legislation on immigration was AMNESTY!
That attitude is part of the Chicano culture of resistance %u2014 a culture that actively resists assimilation into mainstream America. That culture is created, reinforced, and maintained by radical Chicano intellectuals, politicians, and the many Chicano Studies programs in U.S. colleges and universities.
http://www.diversityalliance.org/docs/Chang-aztlan.html
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