Washington, DC — The following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
“As immigration advocates, there’s a lot to reckon with in the election results and as we prepare for a second Trump term.
We know we’re going to continue to stand up, speak out and fight for the millions of undocumented immigrants who have lived and worked in our nation for years. These are our immigrant friends, neighbors, and family members, many of whom are now worried about what Donald Trump’s election means for their families and futures in America.
We know that the American public, even amidst last night’s results, opposes the Trump agenda of mass deportation, separation of families, and his promises to ‘un-document’ and deport some with current legal status. American voters still support legal status for long-settled immigrants (see exit poll questions below for latest reminders).
So let’s be clear: Trump does not have a mandate for mass deportations or sending in the military to round up our immigrant neighbors.
And here is the stubborn truth – immigrants are essential to America’s past, present, and future. Immigration is a key ingredient for our economic growth and prosperity, no matter who sits in the Oval Office.”
While observers try to understand the takeaways and implications of the election, one underappreciated point is that while Trump undoubtedly centered his campaign and closing argument on ugly immigration themes, including the promised largest deportation operation in history, the American public nonetheless prefers legalization for undocumented immigrants instead of mass deportation. Note that in the national Edison exit poll (relied on by CNN and others) and in the AP VoteCast massive election poll (relied on by AP and Fox News), legalization of undocumented immigrants was more popular than mass deportation in a head to head choice:
- National Edison exit poll (via CNN): By 56-40% margin, “most undocumented immigrants in the U.S. should be offered a chance at legal status” instead of “deported.”
- AP VoteCast election poll (via Fox News): By 55-44% margin, “most immigrants who are living in the United States illegally should be offered a chance to apply for legal status” instead of “deported to the country they came from.”
