Poll: Citizenship Support Slips

Support for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants has declined from last month, a new poll found.

Fifty-two percent of Americans backing granting illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship, compared with the 59 percent who supported such action in an April 4 poll, according to a Quinnipiac University survey released Thursday. Eleven percent think they should stay but not be granted citizenship, and 30 percent think they should not be able to stay. The rest were unsure or didn’t answer.

Among Republicans, 36 percent think they should be allowed to stay and eventually apply for citizenship; 15 percent think they should stay but not be granted citizenship; and 42 percent think they shouldn’t be able to stay. Among Democrats, 69 percent think they should stay and be granted citizenship; 8 percent think they should stay but not be granted citizenship; and 18 percent think they shouldn’t stay. The rest are undecided or didn’t answer.

An increase of voters think that illegal immigrants should be required to leave the country — 30 percent of Americans think they should leave, a 5 percentage point increase from the 25 percent who thought so earlier this month.

{snip}