Featured Gallup poll shows many individual Americans have conflicting views on immigration. ’Course they do.

[Multicolored Lemur]

Surge in U.S. Concern About Immigration Has Abated

The percentage of Americans wanting less immigration has dropped by nearly half this year to 30%, with 79% now saying immigration benefits the U.S.

news.gallup.com

———//————-

Please look at the 2nd item —

“Allowing immigrants living in the U.S. illegally the chance to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements over a period of time.”

In 2024, 70% of Americans agreed with this statement. This surprised me. I personally want to add conditions such as “Back of the line” and “pay a meaningful but affordable penalty.”

——

And please look at the last one —

“Deporting all immigrants who are living in the United States illegally back to their
home country.”

These are conflicting ideas!

Yet, in 2024, 47% of Americans said Yes. I did the math and 17% of people said Yes to both statements.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

This is good information. I've read about other polls that dig deeper into deportation, like what Americans think about deporting immigrants that have committed crimes since entering US.

Here's context on that...

As I noted above, polls whose questions include details about the circumstances of deportation produce significant differences in support.

• Support for deportation reaches high majority levels when the question specifies that those being deported have criminal records.

• Support drops to its lowest levels when the question specifies that deportation would separate individuals from their children and families, or would involve immigrants who came to the country illegally as children or immigrants who have been here a long time with jobs and no criminal record.

Clearly, when Americans think about deportation, they can variously take into account the range of characteristics of such immigrants, variations in their circumstances, and the varying ways in which they could be sent home. The public thus holds a set of differing views about deportation based on circumstances. (This is similar to Americans’ views on another hot-button issue, abortion, which are highly complex and variable, depending on how the specific circumstances involved are described to them.)

- Gallup

Now just imagine what politicians would do knowing that this is the case.. this explains why Trump focus is on the criminal aspect of immigration while many Democrats focusing on children and families being separated.

How do we get a wholistic picture an approach? There's probably no easy option in terms of approach.

Please look at the 2nd item —

“Allowing immigrants living in the U.S. illegally the chance to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements over a period of time.”

In 2024, 70% of Americans agreed with this statement. This surprised me. I personally want to add conditions such as “Back of the line” and “pay a meaningful but affordable penalty.”

——

And please look at the last one —

“Deporting all immigrants who are living in the United States illegally back to their
home country.”

These are conflicting ideas!

Yet, in 2024, 47% of Americans said Yes. I did the math and 17% of people said Yes to both statements.

The Gallup article I quoted from also noticed...

My analysis of Gallup data last year showed that a not-insignificant proportion of Americans can hold both of these attitudes simultaneously -- support for deporting such immigrants and support for allowing them to have a way to remain in this country. While Americans want some of these immigrants deported, they just as clearly favor allowing others to remain by following a well-defined process to gain new legal status.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

this explains why Trump focus is on the criminal aspect of immigration while many Democrats focusing on children and families being separated

Yes, people have their main case that they really focus on. And I think you’ve done a good job of dividing what D’s tend to focus on and what R’s tend to focus on.

I support President George W Bush’s approach from all the way back in 2006 —

Earned Amnesty + legal Guest Worker program + Border Wall, both high-tech and low-tech

+ a few other things

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Bush immigration speech: Key quotes

pulls longer quotes from Bush’s 2006 speech

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Address to the Nation on Immigration Reform | The American Presidency Project

www.presidency.ucsb.edu

“Our objective is straightforward: The border should be open to trade and lawful immigration, and shut to illegal immigrants as well as criminals, drug dealers, and terrorists.”

—————————

This sounds very sensible.

Let’s go ahead and pass something like this, and hopefully hit the “sweet spot” right away! And if we miss, let’s adjust with legislation six months or a year in the future. That’s the way a healthy Congress would work.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

this explains why Trump focus is on the criminal aspect of immigration while many Democrats focusing on children and families being separated

Yes, people have their main case that they really focus on. And I think you’ve done a good job of dividing what D’s tend to focus on and what R’s tend to focus on.

I support President George W Bush’s approach from all the way back in 2006 —

Earned Amnesty + legal Guest Worker program + Border Wall, both high-tech and low-tech

+ a few other things

I think it is imperative that we have some type of amnesty. Some sources say that there are over 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US. I don't think it is practical (logistics-wise and economically) to deport all of them in a reasonable amount of time or even during Trump's term. Yet, I also don't think we should leave these people as undocumented because they will be at a higher risk of being taken advantage of and it's just not right to have people living in fear and uncertainty pending which party wins.

So yes, I'm for some form of amnesty. That would be the less messy option

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

amnesty

Please be careful. And/or ready to explain. To many of our pro-Trump brothers and sisters, amnesty is absolutely a dirty word.

I’d encourage you to support “Earned Amnesty” or “Back-of-the-Line Amnesty,” or maybe even add these two concepts together!

 

[AgnosticBoy]

amnesty

Please be careful. And/or ready to explain. To many of our pro-Trump brothers and sisters, amnesty is absolutely a dirty word.

I’d encourage you to support “Earned Amnesty” or “Back-of-the-Line Amnesty,” or maybe even add these two concepts together!

Wasn't aware of how much it became an issue for MAGA. I figured the last President to do amnesty was a Republican so that wouldn't cause as much fuss among them, but I guess we're in a new era, new politics.

I do like the *earned* part. It preserves some accountability instead of just giving out a free ticket.