Progressives and some on the Right are pushing a memo that Hispanics support illegal immigration. A new poll shows Hispanics are divided on illegal immigration and Arizona SB 1070.
Liberals widely believed in 2008 that Arizona’s new anti-immigration law would spark a backlash against the Republicans who backed it. The backlash never came, though, and the Supreme Court indicated Wednesday that the law may stand.
Will that scenario replay for likely GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney? Liberal activists have tagged his immigration stance, calling for illegals to “self deport,” as a serious drag. But a closer look shows that Latino voters are conflicted over immigration and also deem it a relatively low-priority issue.
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Almost as many Latinos support Arizona’s law, 47%, as oppose it, 49%, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll. Asked if they thought the Supreme Court should toss the law, Latinos favored keeping it, 45%-43%. For all Americans, the numbers are 62%-27% in favor of keeping it.
An October 2010 study by Pew found that just 29% of Latinos said illegal immigrants’ impact was positive vs. 31% who said the impact was negative. Another 30% saw no impact.
Among native-born Hispanics, 36% said illegal immigration had had a negative effect, while only 24% said it was positive.
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A narrow plurality of all Latinos, 48%-46%, back increased border patrols. A majority, 58%, favors a national identity card.
This throws cold water cold water of the Progressive and Nativist myth that Hispanics want amnesty or open borders and will go against the GOP over SB1070. what many Hispanics don’t like is to be lumped in with the illegals, who are viewed as peasant trash by many Middle Class Hispanics. Many don’t like Hispanic being synonymous with illegal. Hispanics don’t get mad at policies that crack down against illegals. This shows the GOP has an opening with the community and we are all not amnesty supporters.
Tags: Illegal Immigration, SB1070
