(NAME-MCE) Survey: 32% Angry About Immigration, but Not Mad at Immigrants

[Tracey de Morsella]

One-third of U.S. voters are still angry about illegal immigration, an issue
that neither presidential candidate has made central to his campaign. But,
voters blame Washington, not immigrants (see <javascript:void(0);>  video). 

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that along with
the 32% who express "anger," an additional 27% are frustrated with the lack
of action. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say it's just one of many issues they
have an opinion about. 

Eighty-three percent (83%) of those angry about immigration direct their
anger at the federal government while only 12% point towards the immigrants.
This fact, perhaps more than any other, may explain how official Washington
misread the public mood so badly last June. While the Senators believed they
were solving the problem, voters believed that the government was the
problem. 

This is consistent with other recent polling data showing that an
overwhelming majority of voters believe the federal government itself has
become a special interest group that looks out primarily for its own
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/issues2/articles/ju
st_17_say_federal_government_represents_will_of_the_people>  interest. 

Overall, public attitudes about immigration have shifted little in the past
year. By a 63% to 28% margin, voters continue to believe it is more
important to gain control of the border than to resolve the status of those
who are already in the country illegally. Democrats are more evenly divided
than other voters, but a plurality (49%) agree that controlling the border
is the top priority. 

At the same time, by a 56% to 27% margin, all voters continue to favor a
welcoming immigration policy that would let anybody move to the United
States except national security threats, criminals, and those looking to
live off the U.S. welfare system. Republicans and unaffiliated voters are a
bit more supportive of a welcoming policy than Democrats, but 52% of those
in Barack Obama's party support that approach. Among those who say it's more
important to gain control of the border, 60% favor a welcoming immigration
policy. 

Voters who are angry about the issue also hold views right in line with the
population at large-they favor a welcoming immigration policy by a
two-to-one margin (60% to 30%). 

Another factor fueling the anger over immigration is the belief that most
government officials encourage immigrants to retain the culture of their
home country. Overall, 43% of Americans believe this to be true while 32%
disagree and believe most officials encourage immigrants to fully embrace
American culture. Among those who are angry about immigration, 59% believe
most government officials encourage immigrants to retain their home country
culture. A separate survey conducted earlier this week found that 77% take
the opposite view and believe people who come to
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/ben
chmarks/america_s_best_days>  America should adopt this country's culture. 

The importance of assimilation into the culture is highlighted another
recent survey--54% of voters say it is more important to encourage all
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/issues2/articles/en
glish_first_still_favored_by_most_americans>  immigrants to embrace American
culture than it is to reduce the number of immigrants. Just 36% take the
opposite view and say reducing immigration is a higher priority. That
survey, as with many others, also found a strong preference for ballots and
other government documents to be printed in English only. 

In reviewing this data, it is important to remember that most voters have a
very positive view of American culture. Rasmussen Reports polling data
consistently shows that a solid majority believe our society is generally
fair and decent
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/ben
chmarks/america_s_best_days> . Only about two-in-ten voters consider
American society as generally unfair and discriminatory. Protecting a
society that is generally fair and decent is naturally a goal that many
people embrace. 

Collectively, this data suggests that the desire of most Americans to gain
control of the border is part of a broader desire to protect American
culture. The anger over immigration-anger at the government-is based on the
perception that government policy and government officials are failing at
that basic task. Many voters would probably go further and believe that many
government actions constitute nothing less than an active assaulting on the
culture. This view helps explain the overwhelming opposition of voters to
drivers
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immi
gration/77_oppose_drivers_licenses_for_undocumented_immigrants> ' licenses
for illegal immigrants. 

Also, when 73% of voters want police to see if traffic violators are in the
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immi
gration/73_say_police_should_check_to_see_if_traffic_violators_are_in_the_co
untry_legally>  country legally, what they are saying is that they simply
expect government to perform one of its basic functions. That mindset also
helps explain the strong popular desire for requiring employers and
landlords to seek proof that someone is
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immi
gration/immigration_matters_60_favor_sanctions_for_illegal_hires>  legally
in the country. 

Last year, the Senate was forced to surrender and defeat a bill that most
Senators liked but was supported by just 22% of American voters
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immi
gration/immigration_bill_failure_proves_rasmussen_s_first_law_of_politics> .
The Senators and their friendly Beltway pundits appeared stunned by the
public opposition to what they considered a "comprehensive" reform. 

What they failed to understand is that voters who are angry about
immigration are angry at the government, not immigrants. The United States
is a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws and most Americans want both
of those traditions upheld. 

See survey questions and toplines
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/pt_s
urvey_toplines/june_2008/toplines_immigration_june_10_2008> . Crosstabs
<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/premium_content/political_tracking_crosstab
s/june_2008/crosstabs_immigration_june_10_2008>  are available to Premium
Members <http://www.rasmussenreports.com/premium_service_description>  only.