Advocates Slam Poll Claiming Minorities Want to See Immigrants Deported

By • 3/01/10 • Categorized as Immigration News,Immigration Reform

Immigrants detained by sheriff deputies in Maricopa County, Arizona - Photo: José Muñoz.

Immigrants detained by sheriff deputies in Maricopa County, Arizona. (Photo: José Muñoz)

Last week, the Center for Immigration Studies, which espouses conservative views on immigration, published a poll claiming that “Hispanic, Asian-American, and African-American likely voters” prefer “enforcement and for illegal immigrants to return home,” because they think “that the current level of immigration is too high.”

Soon enough, advocacy groups accused the right-wing organization of “cooking the books” and taking “desperate measures” to derail any attempt at immigration reform.

The CIS report seemed a direct stab at the pro-immigrant organizations. CIS’ Steven A. Camarota wrote that the findings showed that “in contrast to the leadership of many ethnic advocacy groups, most members of minority groups think immigration is too high.”

According to Camarota, 56 percent of Hispanics, 57 percent of Asian Americans and 68 percent of African Americans think immigration is too high.

The poll –conducted by Zogby International– also found that most minorities think that illegal immigration is spurred by “a lack of enforcement,” that “there are plenty of Americans available to fill unskilled jobs,” and most also support “enforcement that would cause illegal immigrants in the country to go home” rather than legalization.

This survey of minority voters shows that when it comes to the issue of legalizing illegal immigrants, these voters disagree with the leadership of many ethnic advocacy groups. Most voters want the law enforced and illegal immigrants to return to their home countries. Overall they also feel that the current level of immigration is too high.

But advocates rejected the poll as unscientific. “This latest effort to muddy the waters about public opinion on immigration ventures into the realm of the absurd,” wrote America’s Voice blogger Jackie Mahendra. She then added:

“…the questions in the CIS-sponsored Zogby poll are engineered to produce anti-immigration responses and rely solely on input from online respondents, rather than a random sample of the general population (i.e. a true random digit dial telephone poll).

“The findings are a dramatic departure from the results of numerous other (credible) polls of Latino voters.”

Others were equally vehement.

Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), issued a statement calling the CIS report “a hodgepodge of leading questions that distort reality.

“The CIS survey takes advantage of the current anxiety over our nation’s future and pits Americans versus immigrants who are here legally and illegally. What the survey fails to offer is real alternatives that have been shown to get bipartisan support in Congress, including a program that requires unauthorized immigrants to come forth, register, learn English, pay a fine, and pay taxes like everyone else.”

Clarissa Martínez De Castro, director of immigration and national campaigns at the National Council of La Raza, accused CIS executive director Mark Krikorian of relying on “junk science” on a post on The Huffington Post.

“What we know is that the Latino community supports a practical, real immigration reform solution that is in line with America’s values, and that gets unauthorized immigrants on the books and paying taxes, secures our borders, levels the playing field for all American workers, and goes a long way in reducing the hateful rhetoric that Krikorian and his organization clumsily blurt out.”

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    • SandiG

      I’m an African-American and a member of NumbersUSA. I was not a part of the survey, nor any of my family members and friends, however, it reflects our views perfectly. We’ve always agreed with the view of Black Congresswoman from Texas, Barbara Jordan, that letting illegal immigration runamuck was detrimental to our country. The invasion of illegals since the last amnesty in 1986 was a disaster for the country in general and African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans in particular. Illegals have cost billions of taxpayer dollars to be spent on people who have no right to be here instead of that money being spent on the US citizens it was intended. For American minorities without an education and skills, it has been a hard road to survive because illegals have undercut them and taken non-agricultural jobs which used to be theirs — maids, nannies, cooks, resort workers, janitors, waitresses, construction workers, gardners, roofers, etc. Black congressmen have been told to keep their mouths shut by Miss Nancy and, therefore, protest by African-Americans has not been led by the usual leaders, but it is out there as part of other groups — NumbersUSA, FAIR, and ALIPAC. My folks believe illegal aliens should be deported no matter what race or nationality — even Obama’s aunt!

    • MadMommy

      As a citizen, a voter, a mom and a small business owner, I WANT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DEPORTED! I hope I was clear in telling anyone who reads this, that THIS American citizen is fed up with the millions of illegal immigrants that have entered our country from our Southern border.

      Americans want illegals deported. We also want to see their jobs vanish. We want the laws to be enforced and the families that have come here to use this country as a dumping ground for every social problem they brought with them from South of the US border GONE.

      That’s right, anyone that is against enforcement is in a criminal conspiracy to defraud the American taxpayer and worker. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS O HOME and take the kids with you!

      Deportation by attrition!

    • Bettybb

      There are pro illegal immigration advocates, not immigration advocates.

      Immigration advocates support people who are tyring to immigrate here legally. It is not in the interest of these law abiding would be immigrants to be shoved out of line, by law breaking illegal immigrants being given preferential treatment.

      Funny, Zogby is a reputable poller. It is not like the CBS poll commission by pro amnesty forces for the Bush attempt at undermining the rule of law. I read that poll. It was cited all over the place by pro illegal immigration forces as saying a majority of Americans supported amnesty. It did not find that. What it found was only 24% supported the Bush amnesty.

      I have also seen reported several polls of Hispanics which found 2/3rd are against a pathway to citiizenship.

      Americans of all races know right from wrong.

      Giving prefernial immigration treatment to law breaking illegal immigrants, almost all of whom are Hispanic, is racist and it is wrong.

      No one in America is above the law.

    • Estoban

      In the last 15 years millions of legal immigrants from Mexico have followed their dream to America. They respect our laws, culture, freedom, opportunity and people. They have gladly submitted to extensive criminal background checks and health checks. They have paid $1,000s in fees, proven financial responsibility, agreed to not be a financial burden on our nation, learned English and waited patiently to become citizens of the U.S. and pledge their allegiance to our nation. They are honest, have integrity and good character and are welcome additions to our community.

      During the same time millions more have come from Mexico illegally to make more money. They have overstayed visas and stolen across our borders like sneak thieves, disrespecting our laws, culture and citizens. They are anarchists, further breaking our laws by using stolen Social Security numbers, fraudulent identity documents, driving without valid licenses or insurance, lying on I-9 forms and taking American jobs in an unholy alliance with criminal employers. They suck services and tax dollars from our economy and could care less about the very real and very extensive economic damage they have caused to American workers through lost jobs and reduced wages. They are dishonest with poor integrity and tarnished character. They have proven themselves to be unworthy of the most valuable citizenship in the world. These same basic character flaws apply equally to illegal aliens from all nations.

    • NO ILLEGALS

      Of course the illegal lovin advocates would dismiss this report. If something doesn’t fit into their narrow, all illegals are legal school of thought, then its described as garbage. I would believe the Center for Immigration Study since most people I know are against the illegals and all the crimes they commit on a daily basis, ie., being here illegally, working using fraudulent documents, driving without a license or insurance, welfare fraud, etc. Most people see the illegals as scum who come to this country to make money without paying taxes and to mooch its benefits, create anchor babies that Americans get to pay for their schooling and healthcare. We need our government to get serious about enforcing our immigration laws and deporting those found to be illegal. The advocates should remember that the more they complain and rally, the worse it is for them, as Americans are sick of the DEMANDING things they are not entitled to. The illegals are criminals and should be dealth with as such. Politicians who pander to the illegals will be voted out of office, no doubt !

    • kevin

      Fair thinking Americans are aware that The Center For Immigration Studies is part of the Hard Right Wing and they have no credibility….they go hand in hand with Fox news,Talk Radio,Glenn Beck,Rasmussen Polls and all the Propaganda that stills remains in parts of the South….most of us Americans do not alingn with those values.

    • Advocating for Justice

      Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, we have forgotten that our forefathers were immigrants to this great nation; that has grown and become the superpower it is today. Imagine the indigenous people who originated in this country; “kicking” the Europeans from settling because they did not agree with foreigners in their land. Would this nation be what it is today had it not been for the acceptance of settlers by the indigenous people?

      Instead of directing the blame on illegal immigrants, we need to direct the attention to our Congressmen. What can be done to fix our broken immigration system? What can be done to prevent further illegal immigration? What is the best approach to address the millions of illegal immigrants already living here?

      We forget that these individuals are human, as humans ourselves, we cannot stereotype them as a whole but understand that they too (just like our forefathers) came to this country for a better life.

      Here is a portion of “The New Colossus”, By Emma Lazarus, 1883 (taken from the Statue of Liberty monument on Ellis Island):

      “Give me your tired, your poor,
      Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
      The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
      Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
      I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

    • l00ker

      These pro amnesty illegal alien enabling fools and traitors are in a dream world, and reality means nothing to them. So let them babble and foam at the mouth, like who cares.

    • Carlos Rodriguez

      As a US citizen, who happens to be of Hispanic origin, do agree with the CIS’s findings. The immigration system in the US is not “broken”, it is just inoperant due to a lack of enforcement to appease ethnic groups on one end of the scale and business interests on the other.

      I for one, would consider a person who broke into my home and took liberties with my property, not unlike any illegal alien who sneaks into the country and steals a job he/she is not legitimately entitled to hold and proceeds to avail him/herself of benefits paid by my hard earned taxes through the issuance of an offspring born here.

      As a Hispanic, I support stringent enforcement of our immigration laws. If a parent or both parents are here illegally, the entire family shoud accompany them and then attempt to emigrate from their country through legal means. Otherwise, they might shirk their obligation to their US born child and pass that liability to the US tax-payer. I also would like to see those who vouch for legal residency candidates to actually be held to their pledge to pay any and all costs generated by the person they sponsor. That would put an end to “chain migraton”.

      Put my vote with any independent candidate who’s willing to work in favor ofthe American citizen above the interests of foreigners and multinational interests like Goldman Sachs. Sealing the borders to irregular/illegal traffic of drugs, weapons and humans would be a good first step,

    • Carlos Rodriguez

      Kevin:

      The propaganda that you refer to persist in the South originated with the Southern Democrats. Go read your history books.

      REgarding Emma Lazzarus’ poem: I guess China is the new Colossus… How come you don’t see a stampede of illegals headed there? Could it be that they adhere to strict enforcement of their laws?

    • BLACK

      It is un-american to allow it’s citizens to suffer for the lack of jobs that these illegals take from us. Each day I see illegals working, while jobs are denied us!! While they move into our neighborhoods and look at us as though we don’t belong! And those politicians whom swore to uphold the law break it while taking money from lawless
      corporations who could care less about the legal citizens, only profits!! Those politicians and business leaders who don’t enforce and obey the law should be
      prosecuted by the law. Before 1986 when Reagan signed the amnesty bill for 3
      million it was supposed to be final, before that americans did and will still do the
      jobs that illegals and their supporters say we won’t do!!!! While millions of americans
      lose their jobs,homes and health insurance it’s plane wrong to allow these illegals to take jobs that should go to americans! We pay the salaries to the traitor politicians,
      as well as purchase the products from the same companies that have grown and
      have become very rich from our labor and patronage!!!! If this country is to prosper
      then it had better put the american citizen first, for a divided nation cannot stand!!!!

    • adam rivers

      hey people: when you say Americans want immigrants out you dont speak for all americans. furthermore, do more research. Immigrants do not drain our economy, they put more into the revenues than they use in services.

    • http://none Marlene

      ALL WHITE SENATE ELECTED OBAMA. because the all white senates who have left the borders open for decades but white like their all white senates more then the Constutituion Therefore this is the White who vote REBLICANS WHO DONT DO NOTHING BUT SELL OUT TO THE CORPORATIONS, AND THE DEMOS WHO HATE AMERICA AND WANT TO DISMANTLE AND IGNORE THE ASTRONOMICAL BLOOD ON THE CONSTITUITON.

      THIS IS WHITE FOLKS MESS, FOR THINKING THEY CAN HOLD DOWN BLACK FOLKS, IN EVERY STATE.

      THE IGNORING OF BLACK CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, MEANS WHITES IGNORED THEIR CHILDREN FUTURE, now go vote white, because you just say you are stupid, and then you accuse blacks are being stupid for the dems. whites are stupid for both parties, i hope their 5 pieces of silver they got for help in oppressing blacks is worth the 900 million Hispanics from central, south, mexico, canada , cuba, the dominican is on the way this people are use to communism. so they will adjust.