More Americans Want to Increase Immigration Than Reduce It

Alex NowrastehGallup produces the longest ‐​running poll on immigration going back to1965. Since then, it has asked the same question:Thinking now about immigrants — that is, people who come from other countries to live here in the United States, in your view, should immigration be kept at its present level, increased or decreased?For the first time in the poll ’s history, more Americans want to increase immigration than decrease it. The margin of error for Gallup’s poll is +/- 4 percent, so the “present level” and “increased” position are about the same for all intents and purposes. Meanwhile, the “decreased” position is outside of the ma rgin of error and lower. This is a long run trend so it can’t be blamed as a reaction to the Trump Administration’s policy on immigration, but it is significant that so much official rhetoric on immigration has highlighted the supposed negatives over the last several years and that Americans h ave continued to become increasingly more supportive of boosting the number of immigrants.Also significant is  this poll doesn’t specifically ask about illegal or legal immigration. No doubt, many respondents will interpret the question as whether the government should increase illegal immigration. That is a silly way to think about illegal immigration, but that’s a common interpretation. Gallup’s most recent poll doesn’t ask people what they think of legal immigration specifically, but when they haveasked in t...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs