Minority Advocates and Constituents Differ on Immigration.

While it is sometimes assumed that minorities, particularly Hispanics, favor increased immigration and legalization for illegal immigrants, a new Zogby survey finds that minority voters’ views are more complex. The poll of Hispanic, Asian-American, and African-American likely voters finds some support for legalization. But overall each of these groups prefers enforcement and for illegal immigrants to return home. Moreover, significant majorities of all three groups think that the current level of immigration is too high. These views are in sharp contrast to the leaders of most ethnic advocacy organizations, who argue for increased immigration and legalization of illegal immigrants. The survey used neutral language, avoiding such terms as “amnesty,” “illegal alien,” or “undocumented.”

The findings:

In contrast to the leadership of many ethnic advocacy groups, most members of minority groups think immigration is too high.

– Hispanics: 56 percent said it is too high; 7 percent said too low; 14 percent just right.
– Asian-Americans: 57 percent said immigration is too high; 5 percent said too low; 18 percent just right.
– African-Americans: 68 percent said it is too high; 4 percent said too low; 14 percent just right.

Most members of minority groups do not feel that illegal immigration is caused by limits on legal immigration as many ethnic advocacy groups argue; instead, members feel it’s due to a lack of enforcement.

– Hispanics: Just 20 percent said illegal immigration was caused by not letting in enough legal immigrants; 61 percent said inadequate enforcement.
– Asian-Americans: 19 percent said not enough legal immigration; 69 percent said inadequate enforcement.
– African-Americans: 16 percent said not enough legal immigration; 70 percent said inadequate enforcement.

Most members of minority groups feel that there are plenty of Americans available to fill unskilled jobs.

– Hispanics: 15 percent said legal immigration should be increased to fill unskilled jobs; 65 percent said there are plenty of Americans available to do unskilled jobs, employers just need to pay more.
– Asian-Americans: 19 percent said increase immigration; 65 percent said plenty of Americans are available.
– African-Americans: 6 percent said increase immigration; 81 percent said plenty of Americans are available.

When asked to choose between enforcement that would cause illegal immigrants in the country to go home or offering them a pathway to citizenship with conditions, most members of minority groups choose enforcement.

– Hispanics: 52 percent support enforcement to encourage illegals to go home; 34 percent support conditional legalization.
– Asian-Americans: 57 percent support enforcement; 29 percent support conditional legalization.
– African-Americans: 50 percent support enforcement; 30 percent support conditional legalization.

To download poll CLICK on link below:
http://www.cis.org/articles/2010/minority-views-immigration.pdf>