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Here's another article that suggest that the american public are backing a comprehensive approach to immigration.
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April 13 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. immigration debate has split congressional Republicans over enforcement measures, guest- worker programs and how to treat millions of undocumented aliens. Republican voters don't have the same problem.
A Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll this week shows most Republicans support proposals to give legal status to undocumented workers and legislation that combines tougher enforcement of immigration laws with new temporary-worker programs.
That 64 percent of Republican voters support this two-part approach may be good news for President George W. Bush, who has endorsed a similar proposal. These results indicate Republican voters are at odds with legislation approved by party lawmakers in the House of Representatives last year that only emphasized tougher enforcement and the construction of 700 miles of fencing along the Mexican border.
``You need to be fair to the people that have been here for a long time, who have kind of fallen through the cracks,'' said Lawrence Hall, 47, a Republican from Reisterstown, Maryland, who participated in the poll. ``And the ones that are just flooding over the border, I'd like to see that stopped.''
The Senate failed to agree last week on a compromise proposal to create a guest-worker program and provide a path for as many as 10 million undocumented immigrants to gain legal status.
In the survey of 1,357 Americans conducted April 8-11, 67 percent of Republicans said they support a solution similar to the Senate proposal, which would allow undocumented workers to stay in the U.S. after paying a fine, learning English and meeting other requirements. Twenty percent of Republicans oppose the plan.
Guest-Worker Support
Support for granting legal status to undocumented aliens is eight points higher among Republicans than among Democrats, 59 percent of whom said they backed such a measure. The poll's margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
More Republicans than Democrats said they support a guest- worker program. Bush backs such a proposal, saying temporary visas are needed for immigrants who will do jobs Americans won't. Republicans favor that plan by 56 percent to 24 percent; Democrats favor it by 48 percent to 18 percent.
``I support the president's plan completely,'' said poll respondent Dorrie Taylor, a Republican from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. ``I just think we need to come up with a good compromise that meets the needs of the United States and the immigrants.''
At the same time, 50 percent of Republicans support the House proposal to build more fencing along the Mexican border, while 28 percent oppose the plan. Democrats are split on the issue, with 38 percent of respondents opposing, an equal number supporting and 24 percent who said they don't know enough about the proposal.
Split in Congress
The poll findings contradict the perception in Washington that Republicans are split on the issue of immigration while Democrats are united.
Last year's House-passed legislation, pushed by a group led by Republican Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado, would require employers to certify workers are eligible to work in the U.S., included a provision that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally and increase penalties on people who aid illegal immigrants.
After nationwide protests against the House legislation, Republican leaders said this week they intend to remove the felony provision from any final legislation.
Tancredo, who leads the 96-member House Immigration Reform Caucus, spearheaded opposition to the inclusion of any guest- worker program or a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants in the legislation.
'A Foul Odor'
Tancredo and other members of his caucus, which has only three Democrats, condemned the Senate immigration proposals as they were debated. Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California said March 31 that the Senate compromise had a ``foul odor.''
According to the poll, most Republicans disagree. Among self-described conservatives, 57 percent support legislation that addresses both border security and provides legal status for undocumented immigrants.
Sixty-nine percent of Republicans with household incomes of less than $40,000 said they back the two-part approach. This compares with 62 percent of Republican respondents with larger incomes who said they support it.
Senate Plan
While the Senate's plan allowing illegal aliens in the U.S. more than two years to begin a path to citizenship faced the strongest opposition from House Republicans, 73 percent of Republican voters with household income below $40,000 support it, as do 69 percent of Republicans without a college degree.
Democrats from those groups show much weaker support, with 54 percent from each group favoring such an approach.
Republican politicians may face political risks if they embrace final legislation that only focuses on border security and tougher enforcement of immigration laws.
``Democrats have a problem if they go one way and don't emphasize the rule of law and only have compassion,'' said Matthew Dowd, a political consultant who was the chief strategist of Bush's 2004 campaign. ``The Republicans have a problem if they only go with the rule of law. There has to be a balance.''
`Like the Irish'
Dowd said Republicans should view the immigration debate as an opportunity to extend their voter base among Hispanics. ``Hispanics are more like European immigrants of the early 1900s or late 1800s,'' he said. ``They are like the Irish. They start out Democratic, but as they become part of the economic mainstream, they become much more valuable to Republicans.''
Senator Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican who was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. as a child, said Republicans should draw lessons from the experience of Pete Wilson, a former Republican governor of California.
In 1994, Wilson backed Proposition 187, which would have excluded illegal immigrants from receiving social services, health care and public education. The uproar among Hispanic voters benefited Democrats, and no Republican presidential candidate has won California since.
Martinez believes the current controversy risks having the same effect on Republicans nationally. ``There is no question that is what is at risk here,'' he said. ``We are engaged in a struggle for the soul of the party and I hope we will prevail.''
To contact the reporter on this story:
Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net
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April 13 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. immigration debate has split congressional Republicans over enforcement measures, guest- worker programs and how to treat millions of undocumented aliens. Republican voters don't have the same problem.
A Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll this week shows most Republicans support proposals to give legal status to undocumented workers and legislation that combines tougher enforcement of immigration laws with new temporary-worker programs.
That 64 percent of Republican voters support this two-part approach may be good news for President George W. Bush, who has endorsed a similar proposal. These results indicate Republican voters are at odds with legislation approved by party lawmakers in the House of Representatives last year that only emphasized tougher enforcement and the construction of 700 miles of fencing along the Mexican border.
``You need to be fair to the people that have been here for a long time, who have kind of fallen through the cracks,'' said Lawrence Hall, 47, a Republican from Reisterstown, Maryland, who participated in the poll. ``And the ones that are just flooding over the border, I'd like to see that stopped.''
The Senate failed to agree last week on a compromise proposal to create a guest-worker program and provide a path for as many as 10 million undocumented immigrants to gain legal status.
In the survey of 1,357 Americans conducted April 8-11, 67 percent of Republicans said they support a solution similar to the Senate proposal, which would allow undocumented workers to stay in the U.S. after paying a fine, learning English and meeting other requirements. Twenty percent of Republicans oppose the plan.
Guest-Worker Support
Support for granting legal status to undocumented aliens is eight points higher among Republicans than among Democrats, 59 percent of whom said they backed such a measure. The poll's margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
More Republicans than Democrats said they support a guest- worker program. Bush backs such a proposal, saying temporary visas are needed for immigrants who will do jobs Americans won't. Republicans favor that plan by 56 percent to 24 percent; Democrats favor it by 48 percent to 18 percent.
``I support the president's plan completely,'' said poll respondent Dorrie Taylor, a Republican from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. ``I just think we need to come up with a good compromise that meets the needs of the United States and the immigrants.''
At the same time, 50 percent of Republicans support the House proposal to build more fencing along the Mexican border, while 28 percent oppose the plan. Democrats are split on the issue, with 38 percent of respondents opposing, an equal number supporting and 24 percent who said they don't know enough about the proposal.
Split in Congress
The poll findings contradict the perception in Washington that Republicans are split on the issue of immigration while Democrats are united.
Last year's House-passed legislation, pushed by a group led by Republican Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado, would require employers to certify workers are eligible to work in the U.S., included a provision that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally and increase penalties on people who aid illegal immigrants.
After nationwide protests against the House legislation, Republican leaders said this week they intend to remove the felony provision from any final legislation.
Tancredo, who leads the 96-member House Immigration Reform Caucus, spearheaded opposition to the inclusion of any guest- worker program or a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants in the legislation.
'A Foul Odor'
Tancredo and other members of his caucus, which has only three Democrats, condemned the Senate immigration proposals as they were debated. Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California said March 31 that the Senate compromise had a ``foul odor.''
According to the poll, most Republicans disagree. Among self-described conservatives, 57 percent support legislation that addresses both border security and provides legal status for undocumented immigrants.
Sixty-nine percent of Republicans with household incomes of less than $40,000 said they back the two-part approach. This compares with 62 percent of Republican respondents with larger incomes who said they support it.
Senate Plan
While the Senate's plan allowing illegal aliens in the U.S. more than two years to begin a path to citizenship faced the strongest opposition from House Republicans, 73 percent of Republican voters with household income below $40,000 support it, as do 69 percent of Republicans without a college degree.
Democrats from those groups show much weaker support, with 54 percent from each group favoring such an approach.
Republican politicians may face political risks if they embrace final legislation that only focuses on border security and tougher enforcement of immigration laws.
``Democrats have a problem if they go one way and don't emphasize the rule of law and only have compassion,'' said Matthew Dowd, a political consultant who was the chief strategist of Bush's 2004 campaign. ``The Republicans have a problem if they only go with the rule of law. There has to be a balance.''
`Like the Irish'
Dowd said Republicans should view the immigration debate as an opportunity to extend their voter base among Hispanics. ``Hispanics are more like European immigrants of the early 1900s or late 1800s,'' he said. ``They are like the Irish. They start out Democratic, but as they become part of the economic mainstream, they become much more valuable to Republicans.''
Senator Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican who was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. as a child, said Republicans should draw lessons from the experience of Pete Wilson, a former Republican governor of California.
In 1994, Wilson backed Proposition 187, which would have excluded illegal immigrants from receiving social services, health care and public education. The uproar among Hispanic voters benefited Democrats, and no Republican presidential candidate has won California since.
Martinez believes the current controversy risks having the same effect on Republicans nationally. ``There is no question that is what is at risk here,'' he said. ``We are engaged in a struggle for the soul of the party and I hope we will prevail.''
To contact the reporter on this story:
Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net
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