Beneson Strategy Group (PDF) for America's Voice. 5/9-12. Likely voters. MoE 3.1%
Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, strongly oppose Congress passing comprehensive immigration reform?
Total Support 64
Strongly support 31
Somewhat support 33
Total Oppose 21
Somewhat oppose 10
Strongly oppose 10
So check it -- conventional wisdom is that tough economic times generates anti-immigrant sentiment, but these numbers are stellar. And that's just asking people about "comprehensive immigration reform". Look what happens when they are told what that actually means:
One version of immigration reform that people have discussed would take a comprehensive approach. It would secure the border, crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, and require illegal immigrants to register for legal immigration status, pay back taxes, and learn English in order to be eligible for U.S. citizenship. Would you ... Congress passing this proposal?
Total Support 86
Strongly support 58
Somewhat support 28
Total Oppose 14
Somewhat oppose 6
Strongly oppose 7
That's a stunning 29-point shift, with well over a majority of respondents "strongly approving". The Minutemen crowd, no matter how much noise it might make, is fringier than fringe. And the strongest support, crazy as it seems, comes from Republicans -- 89-11. They're probably drawn to the punitive component of comprehensive immigration reform, as well as the thought that undocumented immigrants, once legalized, "would help taxpayers by making illegal immigrants pay taxes." According to the poll, just 17 percent of respondents think such reform would be "amnesty", including just 16 percent of Republicans.
Note, there's no talk here of a guest worker program, which business groups are demanding to keep American wages low and create a permanent indentured class. The American people have no need for it.
Note that this poll is no outlier, but accurately reflects what other polls have found:
Pew, 4/14-21.
Favor providing a away for illegal immigrants already in the US to gain legal citizenship:
Support
2009 63
2007 58
Washington Post/ABC News, 4/21-24.
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?
Support Oppose
2009 61 35
2007 49 46
Can there possibly be a bigger win-win? The American people strongly support what is a moral and practical imperative -- to bring 12 million undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and integrate them into our society. Now all we need is our politicians to do the right thing. Obama has promised to move on this issue by the end of the year. There's no reason Congress shouldn't offer enthusiastic bipartisan support. Won't happen, but there's really no reason it shouldn't.