Polls & Research

Most Americans Endorse Path to Citizenship

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two-in-five adults in the United States believe the country should provide a way for illegal immigrants currently in the country to gain legal citizenship if they pass background checks, pay fines, and have jobs, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. 61 per cent of respondents favour this rationale, while 32 per cent disagree.

In March 2006, the Pew Hispanic Center calculated the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. at somewhere between 11.5 million to 12 million.

In May 2006, U.S. president George W. Bush addressed the nation to discuss his immigration proposals. Bush outlined five clear objectives: securing the borders, creating a temporary worker program, holding employers to account for the workers they hire, allowing illegal immigrants "who have roots" in the country to apply for citizenship, and helping newcomers assimilate into American society.

In 2007, the U.S. Senate discussed and rejected a revised immigration bill, which would have allowed illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a "Z visa." After paying fees, a $5,000 U.S. fine and then returning to their home countries, they could apply for permanent residency, which could be granted in eight to 13 years. The bill also included a proposal to introduce a points system that would prioritize access to the U.S. for skilled and educated immigrants, as well as new family-reunification guidelines.

In June, during a meeting with the Des-Moiner Register editorial board, U.S. president-elect Barack Obama discussed his views on immigration, saying, "I think we should have a serious employer verification system. (...) We’ve got to set up a tamper-proof system and then hold the employers accountable. I’m not particularly impressed with raids on plants that grab a handful of undocumented workers and send them home, leaving the company in a position where it can just hire the next batch."

Polling Data

All in all, do you favour or oppose providing a way for illegal immigrants currently in the country to gain legal citizenship if they pass background checks, pay fines, and have jobs?

Source: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,532 registered American voters, conducted from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, 2008. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.