impreMedia has released the results of a current tracking poll that reinforced that immigration and related issues continue to be a top concern for Latinos. The current results are part three of a series of six national polls among Latino registered voters conducted by impreMedia and Latino Decisions.
The poll found immigration was a major area of concern for Latinos. 53% of respondents confirmed that they knew someone who was an undocumented immigrant, and 25% stated that they knew of a family or person that faced detention or deportation for immigration reasons.When respondents were asked to name the most important issues facing the Latino community that Congress and the President should address, 51% listed Immigration Reform/DREAM Act, while 35% listed Create jobs/Fix the economy, and 18% listed Education.
The poll results also suggest that if immigration reform does not get passed through Congress, Latino voters want to see President Obama use his executive powers to solve those immigration related problems within his purview.
66% of respondents said they would support the President using executive power to stop the deportation of any undocumented immigrant high school and college age youth who had not committed any crime. Additionally, 60% of respondents said they would support the President stopping the deportation of any undocumented parent who has not committed a crime and has children under the age of 18 living in the United States.
Respondents were also asked a series of questions about government measures related to immigration, with 56% opposing a law which would require state and local police to check on immigration status. Respondents also supported the idea of a law that mandated immigration status would only be an item that federal government could check, and not state and local police.
A selection of results questions is included below:
Generally speaking, what are the most important issues facing the Latino community that you think Congress and the President should address?
- Immigration reform/DREAM Act: 51% (52% U.S. born/51% foreign born)
- Create Jobs/Employment/Economy: 35% (37% U.S. born/32% foreign born)
- Education Reform/Schools: 18% (15% U.S. born/21% foreign born)
Many states across the country are considering a number of different policies related to immigration. For each policy that I read, please tell me whether you approve or disapprove:
A law which would require state and local police to check on immigration status
- 56% – Strongly Oppose (62% U.S. born / 48% foreign born)
- 29% – Strongly support/somewhat support (18% U.S. born / 43% foreign born)
Take a moment to think about all the people in your family, your friends, your co-workers, and other people you know. Do you happen to know somebody who is an undocumented immigrant?
- Yes: 53% (52% U.S. born/53% foreign born)
- No: 42% (43% U.S. born/41% foreign born)
Do you know of any person or family who has faced detention or deportation for immigration reasons?
- Yes know of someone: 25% (22% U.S. born/28% foreign born)
Even if the U.S. Congress does not pass immigration reform, there are many things that the President can encourage, as the head of the executive branch of government. Please tell me if you support or oppose each action by the executive branch of government:
Stopping the deportation of any undocumented immigrant high school and college age youth who has not committed any crime.
- Strongly support/Somewhat support: 66% (61% U.S. born/71% foreign born)
- Strongly oppose/Somewhat oppose: 31% (36% U.S. born/27% foreign born)
Stopping the deportation of any parent who has not committed a crime and has children under the age of 18 living in the U.S.
- Strongly support/Somewhat support: 60% (55% U.S. born/67% foreign born)
- Strongly oppose/Somewhat oppose: 39% (44% U.S. born/32% foreign born)
Currently, many states across the country are considering a number of different policies related to immigration. A law which would require state and local police to check on immigration status.
- Strongly support/Somewhat support: 29% (18% U.S. born/43% foreign born)
- Strongly oppose: 56% (62% U.S. born/48% foreign born)
Each poll in the series of six reflects Latinos views on current issues related to the economy, education, immigration and healthcare. The current poll surveyed views surrounding immigration. The poll is conducted with a sample of 500 registered Latino voters.
Methodology
Latino Decisions surveyed 500 registered voters between May 24th and June 4th in 21 states with the largest Hispanic populations, comprising 95% percent of the US Hispanic electorate. Voters were selected randomly from the registered voter lists and households were identified for contact using the Census Bureau Hispanic surname list, and merged with third party data to secure telephone numbers. Results were weighted to account for minor deviations from known population characteristics. The margin of error is +/- 4.38% on the full sample.
Voter registration status and Hispanic identification were verified upon contact with respondents, who confirmed if they are registered to vote and of Hispanic/Latino descent. Census Bureau reports suggest approximately 90% of all Latinos in the U.S. have a Spanish-surname. In identifying citizens registered to vote, the registered voter list is far superior to either a simple RDD or household list of Spanish-surname households because of non-citizenship, low rates of voter registration among Latinos, and well-documented propensity of all survey respondents, regardless of ethnicity, to over-report registration status.
Surveying was conducted by fully bilingual interviewers. Respondents were greeted in both languages, and surveys were conducted in either English or Spanish, at the discretion of the respondent. Up to five callbacks are scheduled for each record. The survey instrument was created by Dr. Matt Barreto and Dr. Gary Segura in consultation with impreMedia and translated into Spanish. The survey was administered under the direction of Pacific Market Research, in Renton, Washington, and performed using a Computer-Assisted-Telephone-Interviewing (CATI) protocols. CATI programming is performed by Pacific Market Research. Average interview length was 11.43 minutes.