Attitudes Toward Illegal Immigration: What The Public Believes, What The Government Can Learn

Abstract

Illegal immigration is one of the most divisive domestic policy issues facing the United States and one could argue the absence of a solution may stem from a misunderstanding of how the public feels about illegal immigration. This survey explores the attitudes people have towards issues surrounding illegal immigration. The results indicate that attitudes towards illegal immigration vary according to demographics, but they also suggest there is more agreement over the issues than disagreement, regardless of demographics. Thus, with an increased knowledge of where people stand on the issues, and of the strength of their beliefs, legislators can be more judicious in their reform efforts and special interest groups can narrow their educational campaigns to more specific areas.