Americans continue to show a desire for both welcoming immigrants into the national melting pot and gaining control of the nation’s borders to reduce illegal immigration.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national survey shows that a plurality of American voters (45%) believes that, with the exception of national security threats, anybody who can financially support themselves should be allowed to enter the United States and live in the country legally.

That view is shared by 44% of Republicans, 45% of Democrats, and 46% of those not affiliated with either major political party. Overall, 37% of Americans disagree and favor some restrictions on immigration.

While 45% support a very open policy of legal immigration, solid majorities also support efforts to reduce the flow of illegal immigrants. By a 2-to-1 margin (60% to 28%), Americans believe it is more important to gain control of the nation’s borders than to “legalize the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States.” Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans believe gaining control of the border should be the top priority, a view shared by 58% of unaffiliateds and 52% of Democrats.

Sixty-one percent (61%) favor strict sanctions on employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens. That figure is little changed from September. In September, nearly half of Americans also favored strict sanctions on landlords who provided housing for illegal immigrants.

Today, 58% want the government to build a 700-mile barrier along the U.S.-Mexican border. The barrier was approved by Congress and the President last year.

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