Ohio: 70% Support E-Verify Legislation

A bill pending in the Ohio legislature to help control illegal immigration by requiring employers to use the E-Verify system has overwhelming support from the state’s voters.

A new telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports and NumbersUSA finds that 70% of Likely Ohio Voters believe the state should mandate that all employers use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs. Only 14% oppose mandating E-Verify, while another 15% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

A committee of Ohio’s state House of Representatives is currently considering HB 327, which would require use of the E-Verify system. Majorities of every political category of Ohio voters – 84% of Republicans, 50% of Democrats and 66% of voters not affiliated with either major party – believe the state should mandate E-Verify.

“I commend the state legislature, in particular Reps. [Scott] Wiggam and [D.J.] Swearingen, for having a finger on the pulse of Ohio,” said Joseph Edlow, former Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). “The poll clearly shows that the citizens of this state support protections for the eligible workers and will not tolerate unfair competitive advantages by businesses refusing to play by the rules.” - 

Requiring the use of E-Verify is popular nationwide, with 69% of U.S. Likely Voters favoring it in the most recent Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index survey 

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The survey of 1,036 Ohio Likely Voters was conducted on April 17-22, 2024 by Rasmussen Reports and NumbersUSA. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

The Ohio survey shows a consensus in favor of requiring E-Very across all demographic categories – 75% of men, 67% of women voters, 70% of whites, 73% of black voters and 67% of other minorities support the state requiring employers to use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs.

Among other findings of the Rasmussen Reports/Numbers USA survey of Ohio voters:

– Seventy-three percent (73%) agree that hiring illegal workers harms legal workers by reducing pay, diminishing working conditions, and making fewer jobs available to Ohioans, including 50% who Strongly Agree. Only 21% disagree.

– Seventy-five percent (75%) would support a program that allowed state and local law enforcement agencies to partner with federal immigration authorities to better capture, detain, hold and deport criminal illegal aliens, including 50% who would Strongly Support such a program. Just 17 percent would be opposed.

– When businesses say they are having trouble finding Ohioans to take jobs in construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and other service work, 62% believe it is better for businesses to raise pay and try harder to recruit non-working Ohioans even if it causes prices to rise. Just 18% think it is better for the government to bring in new foreign workers to help keep business costs and prices down. Another 19% are not sure.

– Seventy-one percent (71%) believe Ohio’s “Dual Enrollment” program –  a workforce development program where high school students can take college courses with subsidized tuition – should be limited to U.S. citizens and immigrants with lawful work authorization. Only 21% think “Dual Enrollment” should continue to be open to illegal aliens.

– Fifty-six percent (56%) would support a state law to charge a fee for money transfers out of the United States to help reduce remittances – money sent by foreign workers to their home countries.

– Forty-one percent (41%) approve of President Joe Biden’s job performance, including 24% who Strongly Approve. Fifty-six percent (56%) disapprove of Biden’s performance as president, including 46% who Strongly Disapprove.

– Forty-seven percent (47%) say that, if their state representative votes against the bill mandating E-Verify, they would be less likely to support them in the future. Only 19% would be more likely to support their state representative for voting against E-Verify, while 23% say it doesn’t matter. Sixty-one percent (61%) Ohio Republicans, 36% of Democrats and 42% of unaffiliated voters would be less likely to support a state representative who votes against the E-Verify bill.

– Sixty-five percent (65%) agree that, if the measure requiring employers to use E-Verify becomes law, any business that refuses to comply should lose its business license to operate in Ohio, including 35% who Strongly Agree. Just 25% disagree. Majorities of every political category – 80% of Republicans, 54% of Democrats and 61% of unaffiliated voters in Ohio – at least somewhat agree that businesses which refuse to comply with an E-Verify law should lose their Ohio state licenses.

“This is one of the most important actions that Ohio can take to curb illegal immigration and pick up the slack of a federal government that is eschewing its duties,” former USCIS director Edlow said. “I look forward to HB 327 passing the House and quickly moving through the Senate.”

President Biden’s policy toward Israel isn’t popular, and many think former President Donald Trump would do a better job handling the Middle East.

With the so-called “hush money” trial of former President Donald Trump getting underway, more than half of voters doubt the fairness of the proceedings.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to the public as well as to Platinum Members.

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