November 06, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The majority of people in the United States would support a law making it possible for undocumented immigrants to legalize their status under certain conditions, according to a poll by TNS released by the Washington Post and ABC News. 51 per cent of respondents would support a program offering citizenship to illegal residents if they pay a fine and meet a set of requirements, down one point since June.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The majority of people in the United States would support a law making it possible for undocumented immigrants to legalize their status under certain conditions, according to a poll by TNS released by the Washington Post and ABC News. 51 per cent of respondents would support a program offering citizenship to illegal residents if they pay a fine and meet a set of requirements, down one point since June.

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.

Earlier this year, 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.

Last month, the U.S. Census Bureau released data showing that 70 per cent of California’s Mexican population are U.S. citizens. Mexican-Americans now comprise about 7.6 million of the state’s 36 million residents. Yesterday, Dowell Myers—a demographer at the University of Southern California—discussed the findings, saying, "California has reached a steady state with regard to immigration. The number of new foreign-born arrivals is being offset by the number of babies who are being born here and the number of parents who are naturalizing."

Polling Data

Would you support or oppose a program giving illegal immigrants now living in the United States the right to live here legally if they pay a fine and meet other requirements?

	Nov. 2007	Jun. 2007
Support	51%	52%
Oppose	44%	44%
No opinion	4%	4%

Source: TNS / Washington Post / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,131 American adults, conducted from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.