Posted on September 19, 2011

65% Put Border Control Ahead of Legalizing Illegal Immigrants

Rasmussen, September 16, 2011

With the Legal Workforce Act, a bill forcing companies to check the immigration status of their employees, working its way through Congress, voters nationwide continue to believe overwhelmingly that when it comes to immigration legislation the focus should be on the border.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of Likely U.S. Voters say it is more important to gain control of the border than to legalize the status of those already living illegally in the United States. Twenty-eight percent (28%) feel legalizing the status of illegal immigrants is more important. {snip}

Fifty-seven percent (57%) favor a welcoming immigration policy that is designed to keep out only national security threats, criminals and those who come here to live off our welfare system. {snip}

{snip}

Seventy percent (70%) of white voters favor border security over legalizing illegal immigrants, a view shared by only 47% of blacks and 45% of voters of other races.

{snip}