MEMORANDUM

Interested Parties
TO:
FROM:
Jefrey Pollock, Global Strategy Group
Jon Lerner, Basswood Research

RE:
DATE:

Voter Attitudes on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

May 6, 2013

Broad Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Proposal Popular Among Conservatives, Liberals and Swing Voters
The American electorate strongly supports passage of an immigration reform bill within the framework of
the Gang of Eight proposal, according to a bipartisan nationwide survey of likely general election voters
conducted by Democratic polling firm Global Strategy Group and Republican polling firm Basswood
Research.1 Comprehensive immigration reform and its individual components are supported both by
voters overall and those from across the political spectrum, including conservative Republicans, liberal
Democrats, and swing voters (those who are not strong partisans and who self-describe as equally likely
to vote for candidates from either party). Key findings are as follows:
Voters of all ideologies overwhelmingly support a comprehensive immigration reform package. A
clear majority of voters (71% support/20% oppose) are in favor of passing an immigration reform proposal
described as including a pathway to citizenship, allowing more high-skilled workers and guest workers
into the country, increasing border security, and creating employer verification requirements.
74% of conservative Republicans support comprehensive immigration reform
67% of swing voters support comprehensive immigration reform
78% of liberal Democrats support comprehensive immigration reform
Supporting the proposal is a net positive for Congressional candidates. Four in ten voters (42%) are
more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who supports comprehensive immigration reform, while
just 12% say they are less likely to support a candidate who supports it. Again, this finding holds true
across conservative Republicans (45% more likely/13% less likely), liberal Democrats (51%/6%) and
swing voters (38%/13%).
A strong majority of voters support every key component in the bill, including a pathway to
citizenship. Nearly two-thirds of voters nationwide support a pathway to citizenship (64% support/32%
oppose). Support for other key elements of the plan are as follows:
91% of voters support and 8% oppose requiring that employers verify the legal status of new hires
81% of voters support and 16% oppose increasing border security
66% of voters support and 29% oppose allowing more high-skilled workers into the country
59% of voters support and 38% oppose allowing more guest workers into the country
Each of these proposals earns at least 50% support and in many cases much higher levels of
support from each of the three ideological groups referenced in this memo (conservative
Republicans, swing voters, liberal Democrats).

This survey was conducted among 1,232 likely general election voters nationwide between April 20 and April 24, 2013. The
margin of error at the 95% confidence level is+/- 2.8 percentage points.

NEW YORK WASHINGTON, D.C. HARTFORD LOS ANGELES

GLOBALSTRATEGYGROUP.COM

2
Support for a pathway to citizenship rises even higher when paired with increased border
security. Nearly four-fifths of voters (78%) support providing a pathway to citizenship either in conjunction
with increasing border security (53%) or with no additional requirements (25%), while less than one-fifth
(17%) of voters would oppose a pathway to citizenship under all circumstances.
Very few voters oppose a pathway to citizenship under all circumstances just 18% of conservative
Republicans, 18% of swing voters and 10% of liberal Democrats hold this view.
Conservative Republicans join all other voters in rejecting deportation. A decisive majority of voters
(72%) prefer allowing undocumented immigrants to become American citizens after at least 13 years and
after several requirements are met including paying back taxes and passing a criminal background
check. Meanwhile, just 20% say we should deport them or encourage them to leave the country.
Just 29% of conservative Republicans are in favor of a deportation approach, while 66% prefer the
citizenship approach.

TOPLINE RESULTS FOR KEY IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS

As you may have heard, there is a proposal facing Congress to reform the nation's immigration laws.
This proposal would establish a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants presently in the
country as long as they pass a criminal background check, pay a fine and back taxes, learn English, and wait at least 13 years.
The plan would also allow more high-skilled immigrants into the country in technology, science and engineering fields and create a
guest worker program to address labor shortages in industries like agriculture and construction. Finally, the plan would require a
series of increased border security measures before anyone here illegally can apply for citizenship - including greater enforcement,
extended fencing along the border and a requirement that all employers verify the legal status of individuals before hiring them.
Do you support or oppose this
proposal? [IF CHOICE] Do you feel
that way strongly or just
somewhat?
VOL:

Total
Lib Dem
Swing
Cons GOP
Strongly support............................................................................................................................................................
34%
37%
31%
34%
Somewhat support.........................................................................................................................................................
38
42
35
40
Somewhat oppose.........................................................................................................................................................
10
9
8
9
Strongly oppose.............................................................................................................................................................
11
5
14
10
(DK/Refused).................................................................................................................................................................
8
7
11
7

SUPPORT (NET)...........................................................................................................................................................
71%
78
67
74
OPPOSE (NET).............................................................................................................................................................
20
14
22
19

Would you be more or less likely to

vote for a candidate for Congress
who supports this immigration
proposal or would it make no
difference in your vote? [IF
MORE/LESS LIKELY] Is that much VOL:
[MORE/LESS
LIKELY]
or just
somewhat?

Total
Lib Dem
Swing
Cons GOP
Much more likely............................................................................................................................................................
17%
25%
15%
18%
Somewhat more likely....................................................................................................................................................
24
26
23
26
No difference.................................................................................................................................................................
43
39
45
40
Somewhat less likely.....................................................................................................................................................
6
4
8
6
Much less likely.............................................................................................................................................................
6
2
5
7
(DK/Refused).................................................................................................................................................................
4
4
4
2

MORE LIKELY (NET)....................................................................................................................................................

42%
51
38
45
LESS LIKELY (NET)......................................................................................................................................................
12
6
13
13

3
Now I'm going to read you a list of individual immigration proposals. For each, please tell me if you support or oppose that proposal.
SUPPORT
Strong

Some

OPPOSE

NET

Some

Strong

(Ref.)

SUPPORT

OPPOSE

7
4
3

2
4
3

3
2
2

91%
89%
90%
93%

8
9
8
6

81%
70%
82%
95%

16
27
15
4

66%
75%
62%
65%

29
17
35
31

64%
90%
55%
55%

32
9
38
42

59%
72%
50%
62%

38
26
48
34

Requiring that employers verify that people seeking jobs are

in the country legally before they can be hired....................................................................................................................
71%
19
4
4
2
Liberal Democrats
Swing Voters
Conservative GOP

56%
74%
80%

33
16
12

Increasing border security, including greater enforcement

and extended fencing along the border, to prevent future
illegal immigration as much as possible................................................................................................................................
60%
20
8
8
3
Liberal Democrats
Swing Voters
Conservative GOP

41%
57%
82%

29
25
13

14
8
3

12
7
1

4
3
1

Allowing more legal immigrants into the country who have

advanced skills in science, technology, and engineering.................................................................................................
34%
33
12
17
5
Liberal Democrats
Swing Voters
Conservative GOP

49%
27%
35%

27
35
30

10
12
16

7
23
16

8
3
3

Providing a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11

million undocumented immigrants presently in the country.............................................................................................
35%
29
12
20
5
Liberal Democrats
Swing Voters
Conservative GOP

60%
26%
26%

30
29
29

4
13
13

5
25
28

2
7
4

Allowing more lower-skill legal immigrants into the country

as guest workers in industries that have labor shortages,
such as agriculture and construction......................................................................................................................................
24%
35
15
23
3
Liberal Democrats
Swing Voters
Conservative GOP

Now, if you had the following

options for what to do with the
undocumented immigrants in the
United States, which would you
prefer?

VOL:

39%
18%
21%

33
32
42

13
17
12

13
31
23

2
2
3

Total
Lib Dem
Swing
Cons GOP
Allow them to become American citizens after at least
13 years and after several requirements are met
including paying back taxes and passing a criminal
background check..........................................................................................................................................................
72%
87%
67%
66%
Deport them or encourage them to leave the country....................................................................................................
20
6
23
29
(DK/Refused).................................................................................................................................................................
8
7
10
5

Some people think that we should only support allowing undocumented immigrants to become American citizens if we first
substantially increase border security efforts and homeland security authorities could certify that our borders were secure against
future illegal immigration. Which of these comes closer to your view?
- I support providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants even if we don't increase border security.
- I would only support a pathway to citizenship if it also included substantially increasing border security.
- I oppose providing a pathway to citizenship under all circumstances.
Which of these comes closer to
your view?
VOL:

Total
Lib Dem
Swing
Cons GOP
Support pathway, even without increased security........................................................................................................
25%
47%
23%
13%
Only support pathway if also increased security............................................................................................................
53
39
53
65
Oppose pathway under all circumstances......................................................................................................................
17
10
18
18
(DK/Refused).................................................................................................................................................................
5
4
5
3

YES (NET).....................................................................................................................................................................
78%
86
76
78