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Rasmussen Reports Weekly Immigration Index - Week Ending August 27, 2020

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of August 23-27, 2020 fell - for the second week in a row – to 100.7. It was at 101.5 last week and at 104. 1 two weeks ago. This is the lowest finding since mid-May.

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.

Until the last couple weeks, the index had risen noticeably since the protests over the George Floyd killing began in early June. But with the emphasis on economic recovery as the coronavirus pandemic eases, voters appear to be growing more protective of the job market.

Crosstabstopline 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, 37% 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-three percent (23%) rate the level of action as about right.

Sixty-three percent (63%) 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. Only 21% disagree, with 15% undecided.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) 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 33% who Strongly Favor it. Thirty-six percent (36%) are opposed, including 18% who are Strongly Opposed.

But just 44% 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 22% who Strongly Favor it. Fifty percent (50%) are opposed, with 31% who are Strongly Opposed.

Legal immigration has averaged around a million annually in recent years, but 49% of voters believe the government should be adding no more than 750,000 new immigrants each year, with 34% who say it should be fewer than 500,000. Thirty-six percent (36%) favor adding one million or more legal newcomers per year, including 11% who say the figure should be higher than 1.5 million. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.

When businesses say they are having trouble finding Americans to take jobs in construction, manufacturing, hospitality and other service work, 65% say it is better for the country if these businesses raise the pay and try harder to recruit non-working Americans even if it causes prices to rise. Twenty percent (20%) disagree and say it’s better for the country if the government brings in new foreign workers to help keep business costs and prices down. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided.

President Trump has suspended new work visas for most foreign workers until the end of the year as a boost to the recovering U.S. economy. Just 29% feel that Congress should increase the number of foreign workers taking higher-skill U.S. jobs. Fifty-eight percent (58%) think the country already has enough talented people to train and recruit for most of those jobs. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.

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, 34% want to continue immigration-driven population growth at the current levels. Forty-two percent (42%) favor slowing down immigration-driven population growth. Fourteen percent (14%) want to have no such population growth at all.

The survey of 1,250 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted August 23-27, 2020 by Rasmussen Reports. 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.

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