With Overwhelming Support for Dreamers, Legislation Should be No-Brainer
New polling from CBS News finds that 84% of the public, including 74% of Republicans, support efforts to keep Dreamers here in America. Additionally, new polling conducted by PPP (Public Policy Polling) of 25 Republican-held “swing” House districts finds that by a 68-22% margin, voters in these battleground districts back the Dream Act.
According to Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director of America’s Voice Education Fund:
The new public opinion findings underscore why Congress passing legislation protecting Dreamers this year should be a no brainer and a common sense step forward for the country: as actions across the country yesterday demonstrated, there is incredible energy for protecting Dreamers all across America; there is growing bipartisan support in Congress, reflecting the majority of both chambers; and poll after poll reminds us that the American public, including Republicans, strongly backs efforts to keep Dreamers here in America: their home.
Below is a snapshot of recent and relevant polling:
- CBS News poll (Dec. 2017): 84% of the public, including 93% of Democrats, 82% of Independents, and 74% of Republicans, support efforts to keep Dreamers here in America. The question asked, “do you favor or oppose allowing young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to remain in the country if they meet certain requirements such as going to school or joining the military, and not having a criminal record?”
- Public Policy Polling (PPP) of 25 Republican-held “swing” House districts (Dec. 2017): By a 68-22% margin, voters in these battleground Republican-held congressional districts back the Dream Act. The question asked, “legislation known as the Dream Act that would allow young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. unlawfully as children to remain in the country, as long as they meet certain requirements such as going to school or joining the military, and not having a criminal record?”
- Politico/Morning Consult poll (Nov 2017): A combined 71% of the public supports protecting Dreamers, while only 15% are opposed to such congressional action. When asked, how important of a priority should it be for Congress to pass “a bill that grants young people who were brought to the United States illegally when they were children, often with their parents, protection from deportation?”: “A top priority” was the plurality choice of the public (29%), “Important but lower priority” (27%), “Not too important” (15%), “Should Not be done” (15%), and “Don’t know/no opinion” (15%) are other options.
- AP/NORC poll (Oct 2017): When asked, “Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose providing a way for immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children to stay legally?” 60% of Americans back legalization, 22% oppose legalization, and 19% are either undecided or neither favor nor oppose. Each of Democrats (81-10%), Independents (45-22%), and Republicans (42-37%) favor the legalization option
- Fox News poll (Sept 2017): By an 86-12% margin, Americans favor “granting work permits” to “illegal immigrants under the age of 30 brought here as children, provided they pass a background check.” By a 79-19% margin, Americans favor granting U.S. citizenship to this population. 63% of Trump voters back citizenship for Dreamers. Additionally, 62% say it is “extremely” or “very important” Congress pass an immigration law that will address the Dreamers – a higher percentage than “passing new health care” (58%) or tax reform (52%).
- Quinnipiac University poll (Sept. 2017): 88% of Americans, and 79% of Republicans, support efforts to allow Dreamers to stay in this country and eventually apply for either citizenship or legal status short of citizenship. This includes 82% of Americans, including 69% of Republicans, who back citizenship for Dreamers. Only 10% of Americans and 18% of Republicans support removing Dreamers from the country.
- CBS News poll (Sept. 2017): By an 87-10% margin, Americans back efforts to allow Dreamers to stay in the U.S., including by a 79-16% margin among Republicans
- Washington Post/ABC News poll (Sept 2017): 86% of Americans, including 75% of Republicans, back an approach allowing Dreamers to stay in the U.S.
- CNN poll (Sept. 2017): By an 82-14% margin overall, and a 74-21% margin among Republicans, Americans back an approach allowing Dreamers to stay in the U.S. and ensure that they are not exposed to deportation.
- Harvard-Harris poll (Sept. 2017): 77% of Americans, including 66% of Republicans, back citizenship for Dreamers.
- Politico/Morning Consult poll (Sept. 2017): 73% of Americans, including 70% of Republicans, support either citizenship or legalization for Dreamers.
- Latino Decisions poll (Sept. 2017): Latino voters nationwide want Congress to pass the Dream Act with a path to citizenship by a 91-9% margin, including 83-17% among Latino Republicans.
