July 2, 2018

Pew: Rising Support for More Legal Immigration to the US

The survey also found broad misunderstandings about the legal immigrant population.

Naturalization hero Soon-to-be U.S. citizens taking an oath at a naturalization ceremony at the Evo A. DeConcini U.S. Courthouse in Tucson, February 2018.
Nick O'Gara, AZPM

Support for increasing legal immigration to the U.S. is on the rise, and shifting views among Democrats is the main driving force behind the jump in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center.

Roughly one third of all Americans now support increasing legal immigration. Since 2006, the percentage among Democrats and those who lean Democrat has doubled.

In contrast, fewer Republicans, or those who lean Republican, want legal immigration to decrease.

The Pew survey, which was done mostly before the government started separating families at the border, found broad misunderstandings about the legal immigrant population.

For example, less than half of Americans know that most immigrants are in the U.S. legally.  

Fronteras Desk
This story is from the Fronteras Desk, a collaboration of Southwestern public radio stations, including NPR 89.1. Read more from the Fronteras Desk.
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