If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index - Latest Numbers

Download

See Article
See Toplines
Prior Survey
See Trends
Platinum Page

National Survey of 1,250 Likely Voters
Conducted January 17-21, 2021 By Rasmussen Reports
 
INDEX 91.6 90.2 93.0 111.7 78.3 87.6 91.3 98.8 84.3 98.1 60.8 129.0 79.4 61.1 95.9 146.0 82.9 97.9 72.2 87.8 85.5 110.1 105.4 95.3 81.7 87.3 102.6
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
On the question of illegal immigration, is the government doing too much or too little to reduce illegal border crossings and visitor overstays? Too much 26% 28% 24% 33% 20% 27% 27% 19% 28% 18% 16% 41% 17% 16% 20% 52% 23% 28% 17% 26% 25% 32% 37% 25% 21% 25% 28%
Too little 44% 46% 43% 33% 53% 46% 44% 43% 47% 43% 59% 26% 52% 61% 43% 15% 46% 43% 58% 46% 43% 36% 34% 41% 52% 46% 38%
About right 21% 21% 22% 23% 21% 19% 22% 24% 16% 26% 20% 22% 22% 18% 25% 23% 22% 21% 18% 23% 25% 20% 19% 24% 20% 20% 26%
Not sure 9% 5% 12% 12% 6% 9% 7% 14% 9% 13% 5% 11% 10% 5% 13% 10% 10% 7% 7% 6% 7% 12% 9% 10% 6% 8% 8%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
In trying to control illegal immigration, should the government mandate that all employers use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs? Yes 68% 71% 65% 55% 76% 73% 69% 60% 72% 63% 82% 53% 71% 84% 63% 46% 69% 68% 75% 68% 72% 61% 69% 68% 69% 67% 69%
No 17% 17% 17% 24% 13% 14% 16% 15% 22% 19% 8% 28% 13% 9% 17% 33% 16% 18% 14% 17% 14% 21% 17% 17% 17% 17% 18%
Not sure 15% 12% 18% 21% 11% 13% 15% 26% 6% 17% 10% 19% 16% 7% 20% 20% 15% 15% 12% 15% 14% 18% 14% 15% 14% 16% 13%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
Do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose giving lifetime work permits to most of the approximately two million illegal residents who came to this country when they were minors? Strongly favor 31% 30% 33% 34% 27% 36% 32% 28% 33% 18% 17% 52% 21% 16% 33% 62% 27% 35% 21% 28% 31% 39% 41% 31% 27% 29% 37%
Somewhat favor 23% 25% 21% 27% 21% 21% 23% 23% 21% 39% 20% 23% 27% 26% 23% 19% 21% 25% 22% 26% 21% 25% 24% 27% 20% 23% 25%
Somewhat oppose 17% 17% 17% 14% 20% 16% 17% 19% 16% 17% 25% 10% 18% 20% 19% 8% 19% 16% 19% 17% 18% 15% 10% 19% 19% 19% 15%
Strongly oppose 20% 23% 18% 12% 27% 21% 22% 9% 23% 20% 32% 7% 24% 31% 16% 6% 24% 18% 30% 23% 21% 13% 15% 15% 27% 22% 17%
Not sure 8% 5% 10% 13% 5% 6% 6% 21% 7% 7% 6% 8% 10% 7% 9% 4% 10% 6% 9% 7% 9% 8% 10% 7% 7% 8% 6%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
Do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose giving lifetime work permits to most of the estimated 12 million illegal residents of all ages who currently reside in the United States? Strongly favor 21% 21% 21% 27% 15% 24% 21% 24% 24% 9% 11% 36% 13% 11% 20% 43% 18% 23% 13% 17% 21% 27% 30% 21% 17% 19% 27%
Somewhat favor 22% 22% 22% 27% 19% 21% 23% 18% 17% 31% 15% 31% 19% 15% 22% 36% 20% 24% 16% 24% 22% 24% 27% 24% 19% 21% 24%
Somewhat oppose 17% 15% 18% 16% 16% 18% 18% 18% 12% 12% 19% 13% 19% 19% 20% 7% 18% 15% 18% 20% 14% 16% 11% 18% 18% 17% 15%
Strongly oppose 34% 37% 31% 18% 44% 35% 34% 24% 43% 33% 51% 12% 41% 50% 30% 7% 37% 31% 45% 34% 36% 24% 26% 30% 41% 36% 28%
Not sure 7% 5% 8% 11% 5% 3% 5% 16% 5% 15% 5% 8% 8% 4% 8% 7% 7% 6% 7% 5% 6% 8% 5% 8% 6% 7% 6%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
Which is closest to the number of new immigrants the government should be adding each year -- fewer than 500,000, 750,000, one million, one and a half million, or more than one and a half million? Fewer than 500,000 37% 36% 38% 25% 43% 41% 36% 32% 43% 38% 53% 21% 38% 50% 34% 14% 43% 32% 48% 36% 38% 29% 32% 31% 44% 41% 28%
750,000 16% 19% 14% 19% 15% 14% 16% 13% 26% 6% 15% 19% 15% 20% 12% 15% 17% 16% 17% 17% 17% 15% 21% 17% 14% 17% 15%
One million 17% 19% 16% 18% 16% 19% 18% 19% 7% 27% 14% 21% 16% 16% 15% 24% 13% 21% 16% 17% 20% 16% 19% 19% 15% 14% 24%
One an a half million 7% 8% 7% 9% 6% 7% 7% 10% 8% 4% 5% 11% 6% 4% 8% 12% 5% 9% 5% 11% 5% 8% 7% 7% 7% 6% 11%
More than one and a half million 8% 8% 7% 8% 7% 8% 9% 2% 7% 8% 4% 12% 6% 2% 9% 18% 6% 9% 3% 5% 7% 12% 6% 9% 6% 7% 10%
Not sure 15% 11% 19% 21% 12% 11% 14% 24% 9% 17% 9% 18% 18% 7% 22% 17% 16% 13% 11% 14% 12% 20% 14% 16% 13% 15% 13%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
Do you favor legal immigrants being allowed to bring with them only a spouse and minor children, or do you favor them also eventually bringing in other adult relatives in a process that can include extended family and their spouses' families? You favor legal immigrants being allowed to bring with them only a spouse and minor children 62% 66% 59% 52% 68% 67% 63% 52% 68% 53% 77% 47% 64% 78% 59% 37% 63% 62% 71% 65% 70% 50% 61% 60% 65% 61% 65%
You favor also eventually bringing in other adult relatives that can include extended family and their spouses' families 28% 26% 30% 35% 25% 26% 28% 31% 28% 34% 13% 43% 27% 14% 30% 56% 25% 31% 21% 28% 22% 38% 29% 31% 26% 29% 28%
Not sure 10% 8% 11% 13% 8% 7% 9% 16% 4% 12% 10% 9% 10% 7% 11% 7% 12% 7% 9% 7% 8% 12% 10% 8% 9% 10% 7%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
When businesses say they are having trouble finding Americans to take jobs in construction, manufacturing, hospitality and other service work, what is generally best for the country? Is it better for businesses to raise the pay and try harder to recruit non-working Americans even if it causes prices to rise, or is it better for the government to bring in new foreign workers to help keep business costs and prices down? Better for businesses to raise the pay and try harder to recruit non-working Americans even if it causes prices to rise 66% 69% 64% 63% 66% 73% 67% 58% 73% 60% 72% 61% 66% 74% 62% 60% 67% 67% 65% 71% 69% 63% 69% 64% 68% 67% 66%
Better for the government to bring in new foreign workers to help keep business costs and prices down 18% 17% 18% 20% 17% 15% 17% 23% 18% 16% 14% 24% 14% 12% 21% 25% 14% 20% 18% 18% 17% 18% 16% 22% 15% 16% 23%
Not sure 16% 14% 18% 17% 17% 12% 17% 19% 9% 24% 14% 15% 20% 14% 17% 15% 19% 13% 18% 11% 14% 19% 15% 14% 18% 17% 11%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
Should Congress increase the number of foreign workers taking higher-skill U.S. jobs or does the country already have enough talented people to train and recruit for most of those jobs? Increase the number of foreign workers taking higher-skill U.S. jobs 25% 30% 21% 36% 18% 23% 24% 27% 28% 26% 18% 39% 17% 18% 24% 41% 21% 29% 23% 22% 24% 29% 40% 25% 18% 22% 34%
The country already has enough talented people to train and recruit for most of those jobs 61% 58% 64% 49% 69% 65% 62% 56% 65% 58% 74% 44% 69% 74% 59% 41% 66% 58% 71% 67% 64% 50% 48% 62% 68% 66% 53%
Not sure 14% 12% 15% 15% 13% 12% 14% 18% 7% 16% 9% 17% 14% 7% 17% 17% 13% 13% 6% 11% 12% 21% 12% 13% 14% 12% 13%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
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. In terms of the effect on the overall quality of life in the United States, do you favor continuing this level of immigration-driven population growth, slowing down immigration-driven population growth or having no immigration-driven population growth at all? Continue immigration driven population growth at the current levels 32% 32% 31% 39% 26% 32% 32% 28% 29% 34% 17% 50% 24% 20% 31% 58% 26% 37% 20% 29% 31% 40% 46% 31% 26% 29% 39%
Slow down immigration driven population growth 45% 45% 45% 36% 49% 49% 46% 35% 46% 41% 55% 31% 51% 55% 47% 22% 48% 43% 51% 44% 51% 37% 34% 48% 47% 46% 41%
Have no immigration driven population growth at all 14% 16% 13% 10% 18% 13% 13% 21% 15% 12% 21% 7% 17% 19% 12% 8% 15% 14% 21% 19% 11% 10% 9% 12% 19% 15% 13%
Not sure 9% 8% 11% 14% 7% 6% 8% 17% 9% 13% 7% 12% 9% 6% 11% 12% 11% 7% 8% 8% 6% 13% 10% 9% 8% 10% 7%
  Total Gender Age Race Party Ideology Education Religion Where do you live? Income
LV's Men Women 18-39 40-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Other Republican Democrat Other Conservative Moderate Liberal No college degree College degree Evangelical Christian Protestant Catholic Other Major city Suburbs Small City/Town/Rural Less than $100K $100K+
Should immigration-driven population growth be reduced to limit the expansion of cities into U.S. wildlife habitats and farmland? Yes 44% 46% 42% 50% 43% 32% 42% 45% 54% 38% 50% 39% 44% 49% 39% 39% 44% 44% 47% 42% 46% 41% 50% 45% 41% 45% 42%
No 25% 28% 22% 24% 25% 25% 26% 25% 22% 22% 22% 28% 23% 24% 24% 31% 23% 27% 23% 25% 25% 26% 24% 25% 26% 24% 30%
Not sure 31% 26% 36% 25% 32% 42% 32% 30% 24% 39% 28% 33% 33% 27% 38% 29% 33% 29% 30% 32% 29% 33% 26% 30% 33% 31% 28%
Survey Demographics
  Total
LV's
Gender Men 48%
Women 52%
  Total
LV's
Age 18-39 35%
40-64 48%
65+ 17%
  Total
LV's
Race White 70%
Black 12%
Hispanic 13%
Other 5%
  Total
LV's
Party Republican 33%
Democrat 37%
Other 30%