(NAME-MCE) New poll: 1 in 3 would deny undocumented immigrants social services

[Anselmo Villanueva]

There is little public support for giving students who lack the legal
documents to legally stay in the United States in-state tuition rates,
a poll by the Los Angeles Times has found. The report, which covers a
variety of immigration policies, found that only 20 percent of
Democrats and 6 percent of Republicans support the use of in-state
rates for these students.

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TIMES/BLOOMBERG POLL
1 in 3 would deny illegal immigrants social services
In Iowa Falls, Iowa

Matthew Putney / For The LA Times

By Janet Hook, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 6, 2007

WASHINGTON -- One-third of Americans want to deny social services,
including public schooling and emergency room healthcare, to illegal
immigrants, a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found.

Still, in a sign of ambivalence among voters about the emotionally
charged issue, a strong bipartisan majority -- 60% -- favors allowing
illegal immigrants who have not committed crimes to become citizens if
they pay fines, learn English and meet other requirements.

Those crosscurrents create treacherous political waters for the major
presidential candidates, many of whom have tended to avoid
spotlighting the issue. But all have been forced to address the issue
under repeated questioning at campaign events and candidate forums.

During Tuesday's radio debate among Democrats, the candidates were
asked if citizens should turn in someone they know to be an illegal
immigrant. Most said no. In other settings, however, several have been
talking a tough line on issues such as denying driver's licenses to
illegal immigrants.

Some poll respondents, in follow-up interviews, expressed frustration
that the candidates had not been more forthright in addressing
immigration-related issues.

"I don't know what the answer is, but I don't think the candidates
know what the answer is either," said Lodie Lambright, a retired state
government worker in Rhode Island.

The survey, conducted under the supervision of Times Poll Director
Susan Pinkus, was based on interviews conducted Friday through Monday
with 1,245 registered voters. The margin of sampling error was plus or
minus 3 percentage points.

The poll indicates that while most of those surveyed viewed illegal
immigration as a key concern, it was not the most important issue on
their minds.

Asked to pick from a list of issues what was a top priority for
presidential candidates, 15% said illegal immigration -- the
fifth-most mentioned topic behind the Iraq war, the economy,
protecting the country from terrorist attacks and healthcare. Asked
how much of a problem illegal immigration is, 81% of respondents said
they considered it important, including 27% who said it was one of the
country's most pressing problems.

The poll also makes clear that respondents make a distinction between
legal and illegal immigrants. Asked if illegal immigrants had made a
positive or negative contribution to their community, 36% said
negative, whereas 21% said positive and 29% said the effect was not
discernible.

When the same question was asked about legal immigrants, 12% said
their contribution was negative, compared with 46% who said positive
and 31% who saw no discernible effect.

"I don't mind immigration, but I do think they need to learn the
English language and should become an American citizen," said Patricia
Buckner, a Florida retiree.

When those who said immigrants -- whether legal or illegal -- had made
a negative contribution, they were asked in what way. The reasons most
often cited were the loss of American jobs (35%), increased crime
(30%) and increased cost of social services (19%).

The survey, which allowed respondents to name as many as five social
services they would allow, showed a disparity: Far more people would
allow access to emergency room care and schooling than other benefits,
such as food stamps and driver's licenses.

About 46% of respondents said that immigrants should be able to get
emergency medical treatment, and 40% said they should have access to
public schools.

But 22% of those surveyed said that illegal immigrants should be able
to get limited driver's licenses -- a question that has put the
Democratic presidential candidates on the spot recently.

The finding underscores the political climate that caused many leading
Democrats to oppose licenses for illegal immigrants when it was
proposed in New York this year by Gov. Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat, who
eventually backed down.

When Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) was asked about the proposal
in a debate in late October, she praised Spitzer but stopped short of
backing his plan. In a debate a few weeks later, she said she opposed
driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

Some of those resisting the idea of providing a range of services to
illegal immigrants say that it drains resources from U.S. citizens and
legal immigrants who are in need.

"It seems like our money in this country is going out faster than it
is coming in, and [the spending is] helping the people who are not
U.S. citizens," said Buckner, who described herself as a liberal
Democrat.

The poll also found stiff resistance to allowing illegal immigrants to
pay discounted in-state tuition at public colleges: 12% of those
surveyed -- including 20% of Democrats and 6% of Republicans --
supported that idea.

That illuminates why GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has
taken flak from his party for supporting, while he was governor of
Arkansas, a college subsidy for the children of illegal immigrants.

However, some of those polled saw a humanitarian need to provide
emergency healthcare, education and other basic services to illegal
immigrants, especially to their children.

"You don't want to see a child go hungry or go ill," said Beverly
Taylor, a retired postal worker in Indiana.

Respondents were divided about the best solution to the problem, but a
strong majority expressed support for a proposal discussed in Congress
-- part of a package backed by President Bush -- that would create a
pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the United
States.

The plan, under which illegal immigrants could become citizens if they
have no criminal record, register with the Department of Homeland
Security, pay a fine, learn English and meet other requirements, was
supported by 64% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans.

However, that plan died in Congress under withering fire from critics
who called for the nation to tighten border security before
considering more liberalized treatment of illegal immigrants.

And the plan has been little discussed by candidates on the
presidential campaign trail -- even by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who
was one of its leading proponents.

The poll suggests that neither party heads into the 2008 election with
a decisive advantage on the issue, with Democrats having lost an edge
they once enjoyed.

Those surveyed were evenly split on which of the two major parties
would do a better job handling immigration: 31% chose Republicans and
30% picked Democrats. By contrast, a poll in June 2006 showed 34%
preferred Democrats and 23% preferred Republicans.

janet.hook at latimes.com