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POLL: January 2013–Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies

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On January 7-10, 2013, Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies conducted a poll of 1,003 registered voters who had voted in the 2012 election for America’s Voice and the SEIU. The margin of error for the poll is +/-3.1%.

  • Four out of five voters support an immigration system that ensures undocumented immigrants have a chance at citizenship… When asked about a plan that would require immigrants to pay taxes; hold employers accountable for hiring legal workers and prevent them from exploiting immigrant labor; improve border security; and ensure that undocumented immigrants have a chance to work towards citizenship, 80% of Americans supported the plan.
  • …including overwhelming majorities of independents and Republicans. 79% of Republicans supported this plan, and 74% of independents.
  • Eighty-seven percent of Americans think undocumented immigrants should be eligible for citizenship, not just legal status. When asked directly about support for creating a path to full citizenship for immigrants versus temporary status, 87 percent of Americans said “it would be better to give people a chance to eventually earn citizenship at some point after they register for legal status, pass a background check, learn English, and pay taxes,” while just 7 percent said “they should be allowed to qualify for legal status and work in the United States but should never be given the chance to earn citizenship.”  Support for citizenship was strong across party lines, with 83% of Republicans, 91% of Democrats, and 82% of Independents choosing full integration.
  • Full reform defeated a “border first” strategy by over 2:1. When asked to choose between focusing first on securing the border versus requiring immigrants to “become legal and pay taxes, while also improving border security,” 64 percent favored the combined solution versus 31 percent for border enforcement “first.”
  • A majority of voters would be more likely to vote for their Member of Congress if he or she supported reform including a path to citizenship… When asked how they would feel if their Member of Congress voted for the immigration reform proposal offered, which included a path to citizenship. 53% of voters said they would be more likely to vote for him or her — and only 8% of voters said they would be less likely.
  • …including a majority of Republicans. 53% of Republicans said they would be more likely to reelect their Member of Congress if he or she supported reform including a path to citizenship, and only 8% said they would be less likely.