Survey Says Some Still Worry about Impact Undocumented Immigrants May Have on the Economy

Posted by Matthew Green | Sep 02, 2014 | 0 Comments

There's a humanitarian crisis at the border. Congress is on recess. Can anything be done in the next few weeks to help solve this problem? President Obama had a press conference recently and stated that he will be looking into taking executive action, since Congress is not currently in session. He understands that this is a pressing issue and cannot be put on hold.

Meanwhile, some U.S. citizens have other concerns related to the crisis at the border. A poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos seems to indicate that “Americans are deeply worried that [undocumented] immigration is threatening the nation's culture and economy.” Apparently, the poll found that 70 percent of Americans “believe undocumented immigrants threaten traditional U.S. beliefs and customs.” It is hard for me to believe that this is true. I understand that there are some people who still feel this way, but 70 percent? Seems high to me.

The article reviewing the poll and its findings can be found in its entirety here. The article suggests that the feelings towards immigration may be similar to how people feel about the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Both immigration reform and the Affordable Care Act have been highly criticized by Republicans in the past and as we get closer to election season.

The survey was conducted online and found that, if President Obama were order work permits for “up to 5 million undocumented immigrants and delay some deportations,” many conservative voters would be unhappy. The report also said that “63 percent of people in the online survey . . . said immigrants place a burden on the economy.”

Whenever “studies” like this come out, I always wonder if the results were skewed in some way. For example, how did people initially find out about the survey? Were they invited after visiting a certain website? Was the survey open to all individuals? In many cases, these questions are never answered. That is why I always view these types of surveys with an open mind and not believe everything I read.

The study goes on to reference another Reuters/Ipsos online poll that determined “immigration” is the “third most important problem facing the nation,” according to voters. That is in contrast to a Gallup poll conducted in July that found immigration to be the number one problem. Meanwhile, a Republican in New Hampshire, who is vying for a state senate seat, Eddie Edwards, has said that “seven out of 10 voters voice worries about immigration and refugees when he canvasses door to door.” Of course, it was not explained how he gathered or documented that alleged fact.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll of mid-July interviewed 2,014 Americans online. The precision of the Reuters/Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the survey had a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

Are you facing legal matters related to your immigration status? Immigration laws and policies can often be quite detailed and are constantly changing. If you are seeking legal counsel, do not hesitate to contact my office. We are here to help!


About the Author

Matthew Green

Managing Partner. Green | Evans-Schroeder (formerly Law Offices of Matthew H. Green) focuses on the aggressive defense of immigrants. A native of Arizona, Mr. Green understands the difficulties that immigrants and families of immigrants face when a loved one is charged with a crime. He knows how frightening it can be for some...

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If you are not a U.S. citizen, and you are charged with a crime, you automatically have two legal systems that threaten to penalize you with incarceration and deportation. Our law firm concentrates its practice on assisting foreign nationals charged with crimes to avoid deportation.

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