Sixty-eight percent (68%) of U.S. voters favor strict government sanctions on employers who hire illegal immigrants, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s up slightly from a couple of years ago.

Only 22% say the employers should not be penalized, and 10% are not sure.

Voters are more divided on whether to punish landlords who rent or sell property to illegal immigrants--48% support sanctions on landlords while 36% are opposed.

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Polling released yesterday showed strong support for having police officers check the immigration status of those pulled over for a traffic violation. But most voters are at least somewhat concerned that efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants also will end up violating the civil rights of some U.S. citizens.

On the employment front, Congress last week did not reauthorize the federal E-Verify program which allows employers to check on the immigration status of prospective employees. Use of E-Verify has been voluntary because efforts by the Bush Administration to make it mandatory have been opposed in court by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Builders and Contractors and others.

The Obama administration wants to review the program before deciding whether to endorse it.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Republicans support strict sanctions on employers who hire illegal immigrants, as do 58% of Democrats and 72% of those not affiliated with either major party.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of white voters think strict sanctions should be imposed on employers who hire illegals, but African-Americans are evenly divided.

When it comes to landlord sanctions, 62% of GOP voters favor them, while nearly half of Democrats (48%) are opposed.

Among unaffiliated voters, 49% favor landlord sanctions, while 29% are opposed.

Most voters (74%) say the federal government is not doing enough to secure the nation’s borders.

The flow of illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border has slowed with the bad economy, and now more voters are concerned about the spread of drug-related violence from Mexico than about illegal immigration.

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