By
Andrew Stiles
A
majority of Hispanic voters think legal status to illegal immigrants should be
granted only after a goal of stopping 90 percent of future illegal immigration
has been achieved, according to a new survey by GOP pollster
John McLaughlin.
By
a margin of 60 percent to 34 percent, registered Hispanic voters said they
supported granting legal status to illegal immigrants “only when the
90% goal is reached.”
Hispanic
adults backed the proposal by a nearly identical margin — 60 percent to 32
percent.
The
proposal offered in the poll is even more hawkish than the one put forward by
Senator John Cornyn (R., Texas), who offered an amendment to
the Gang of Eight immigration bill that would have required a 90 percent
border-apprehension rate before illegal immigrants, having already been granted
legal status under the legislation, could apply for citizenship.
Cornyn’s
amendment, however, was rejected by the Gang and its supporters in favor of the
“border surge” amendment from Senators
Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) and John Hoeven (R., N.D.), which establishes a 90
percent apprehension rate as a guideline that has no bearing on the granting of
legal status or citizenship. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that even with the Corker-Hoeven
amendment, the Gang of Eight bill would only reduce future illegal immigration
by 33 percent to 50 percent.
Among
the poll’s other notable findings:
1.
By a margin of 56 percent to 40 percent,
Hispanic voters oppose allowing illegal immigrants to obtain federal
benefits, including Obamacare benefits, “while they are going through
the legalization process and before the 90% goal is reached.”
2. When asked to choose which of four issues —
the economy, immigration reform, education, or health care — is most important
to them, registered Hispanic voters said immigration reform was their lowest
priority. Just 31 percent ranked the issue first or second, compared
with 62 percent for the economy, 57 percent for health care, and 45
percent for education. Non-registered voters, on the other hand, ranked
immigration reform as their highest priority.
3.
Generally speaking, registered Hispanic voters were far more likely to support
tougher security and enforcement measures than non-registered voters. For
example, 64 percent of registered voters said they supported employment
verification to determine if job applicants are lawful residents, compared
with just 46 percent of non-registered voters. Additionally, 55 percent of
registered voters backed increased border-security measures (fencing, drones,
police, etc.), compared with 45 percent of non-registered voters.
4. The Republican party definitely has problems
with Hispanic voters. For example, 65 percent of voters said they think the GOP
discriminates against Hispanics, and 62 percent said they don’t think the GOP
“cares about people like you.” Fifty-nine percent said they think Republicans
want to stop immigration because they want to keep Hispanics out of the
country.
5. However, only 29 percent of registered
Hispanic voters said they would never vote for a Republican member of Congress.
Voters were split on whether they believed that “new forces” within the GOP,
such as Senator Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), are “fighting for immigration
reform and fair treatment for Latinos” (47 percent), or whether the GOP “is the
same old Republican Party and is as prejudiced as always against Latinos” (42
percent).
Related: The Only Relevant Issue In The Immigration Debate: What Is Good For The Country And Her Citizens?
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