Rasmussen Reports Weekly Immigration Index - Week Ending July 16, 2020

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of July 12-16, 2020 fell to 103.8, from 105.3 the week before. Voters seem to be comfortable with the immigration restrictions President Trump has put in place to counter the economic effects of the coronavirus.

The Index is based on a series of questions designed to determine whether voters are moving toward an immigration system that encourages more immigration to the United States or a one that reduces the level of immigration here. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

All surveys are compared to a baseline – set the week of December 2-6, 2019 - which has been given an Index of 100. A weekly finding moving up over 100 indicates growing support for a more expansive immigration system. A weekly index number falling below 100 indicates increased support for a more restrictive immigration system.

Crosstabs, topline responses and historical data are also available to the public.

The Immigration Index will be updated every Tuesday at noon Eastern.

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In the latest survey, 38% of Likely U.S. Voters feel the government is doing too little to reduce illegal border crossings and visitor overstays. Thirty-two percent (32%) say the government is doing too much. Twenty-two percent (22%) rate the level of action as about right.

Sixty-four percent (64%) continue to believe the government should mandate employers to use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs. Just 20% disagree, with 16% undecided.

A federal court has now upheld the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program meaning that new applicants will be accepted for the first time in three years. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters favor giving lifetime work permits to most of the approximately two million illegal residents who came to this country when they were minors, with 37% who Strongly Favor it. Thirty-three percent (33%) still are opposed, including 16% who are Strongly Opposed.

Forty-seven percent (47%) also favor giving lifetime work permits to most of the estimated 12 million illegal residents of all ages who currently reside in the United States, including 25% who Strongly Favor it. Forty-five percent (45%) are opposed, with 27% who are Strongly Opposed.

Legal immigration has averaged around a million annually in recent years, but 45% of voters believe the government should be adding no more than 750,000 new immigrants each year, with 33% who say it should be fewer than 500,000. Thirty-eight percent (38%) favor adding one million or more legal newcomers per year, including 13% who say the figure should be higher than 1.5 million. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure.

Only 29% favor current U.S. immigration policy which allows legal immigrants to bring in not just their spouse and children but also eventually other adult relatives that can include extended family and their spouses’ families. Fifty-eight percent (58%) remain opposed to current policy and think legal immigrants should be able to bring only their spouse and minor children with them. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided.

The Census Bureau projects that current immigration policies are responsible for most U.S. population growth and will add 75 million people over the next 40 years. Most voters still want to slow that growth. In terms of the effect on the overall quality of life in the United States, 35% want to continue immigration-driven population growth at the current levels. Forty-one percent (41%) favor slowing down immigration-driven population growth. Fourteen percent (14%) want to have no such population growth at all. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.

Thirty-eight percent (38%) believe immigration-driven population growth should be reduced to limit the expansion of cities into U.S. wildlife habitats and farmland. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree, while a sizable 33% are undecided.