A poll conducted last week indicates that large majorities of Americans don’t hold views of immigrants that are as harsh of those of President-elect Donald Trump. They include many who voted for him.
The poll found that Americans overwhelmingly think that deportations should focus on immigrants who commit violent crime, that the persecuted should be protected, and that families should be kept intact.
The survey of 1,200 adults was conducted between Dec. 3 and Dec. 7 by the National Immigration Forum, which works with the business community, police, and the clergy as it advocates for immigrants.
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Trump has vowed to deport millions and his allies say he’ll “seal the border.”
Respondents were asked whether they believe deportation efforts should focus on “violent criminals and those with final orders of removal,” or “all individuals without legal status, including those who have otherwise followed laws and have U.S. citizen family.”
Two-thirds, 66%, said violent criminals and those with deportation orders should be the focus, while 34% said efforts should target all undocumented immigrants.
Those sentiments were remarkably consistent across political ideologies. Of self-described liberals, 69% said deportations should target violent criminals and those with final removal orders. So did 66% of moderates and 65% of self-identified conservatives.
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However, deportations of those with criminal convictions or final removal orders are nothing new, with the number this century peaking under the Obama administration and then falling off under Trump and Biden. When it comes to criminal deportations, those numbers peaked under Obama as well.
Many immigrants come seeking economic opportunity. But many of their impoverished countries are also torn by dysfunctional, oppressive governments, corruption and gang violence. Two leaders of Springfield’s Haitian community last month said that if one has a good job there, that fact alone is reason for criminal gangs to target them.
The National Immigration Forum survey conducted last week tried to get a sense of whether Americans think people who fled such circumstances should be deported. They were asked if they agreed that “In accordance with American values, family unity, respect for human dignity, and protection for the persecuted must remain key priorities as the government increases border security and border enforcement.”
Of all those surveyed, 73% either somewhat or strongly agreed.
And again, there was little divergence along ideological lines. Of self-identified liberals, 78% agreed. Of moderates, 72% agreed. That was identical to the rate at which conservatives agreed.
Trump should take note, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.
“Key Trump constituencies want his administration to preserve American values and set enforcement priorities,” she said in an email. “The president-elect should respond accordingly and work with Congress on immigration solutions that boost our security, honor human dignity and preserve family unity. The administration should not take Americans’ immigration concerns to mean they support mass deportations for people who are here and contributing.”
The findings might seem at odds with the findings of a separate survey conducted in October — or at least show cognitive dissonance about immigrants among some Americans.
That survey, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, asked “Do you agree or disagree that immigrants who are entering the country today are poisoning the blood of our country?”
A full 61% of Republicans agreed with the statement. That stands in stark contrast to 33% of independents, and just 13% of Democrats.
The same survey found a 50-point gap between Republicans and Democrats over how pressing an issue immigration is for the country.
