Skip to content
LPBN-Icon-v1
ImmigrationProf Blog
A Member of the Law Professor Blogs Network

Republican Immigration Reform Strategy Memo

By immigrationprof

Here is an interesting memo on immigration and polling from the Republican National Committee:

RepublicanNational Committee
MEMORANDUM

TO: Republican National Committee Members
FROM: Matthew Dowd, RNC Senior Advisor
RE: Public Opinion On Immigration Reform
DATE: May 26, 2006

Given the ongoing public and legislative debate on immigrationreform, I wanted to provide you with an overview and analysis of public opinionresearch on this important issue. A review and evaluation of both public andprivate polls reveals the following:

  1. Americans     believe illegal immigration is a serious problem that the government has     failed to address in the past. Doing nothing on this issue is not a     solution, as Americans want it fixed today.

  2. The     public wants a comprehensive solution that includes reform on three     fronts: (i) strengthening border security/law enforcement to stem the flow     of illegal immigration, (ii) enhancing the avenues through which     immigrants can lawfully and safely enter the U.S. for work and (iii)     creating a compassionate, practical and equitable way for those illegal     immigrants already in the U.S. to legally enter the system.

  3. On     the other hand, proposals such as criminalizing illegal immigrants, have     significantly less support among the American people.

  4. The     comprehensive approach that emphasizes both security and compassion is     unifying, not polarizing – it is supported by Republicans,     Independents, and Democrats. Furthermore, majorities of Hispanics back it.     Therefore, it is imperative for the Republican Party to talk about     immigration effectively and comprehensively and demonstrate leadership on     this vital issue as we move toward the mid-term elections.

I. Public Polling Summary

Public polls show that Americans want the governmentto solve the immigration problem. The public strongly supports a comprehensiveapproach. For instance:

Expanding the Border Patrol. Eightypercent (80%) in the FOX News poll (4/4-4/5) support increasing the number ofofficers policing the border, and Gallup (4/6-4/7) shows 81% believe increasingthe number of Border Patrol agents will be an effective way to reduce illegalimmigration.

Creating a temporary worker program. More thantwo-thirds of voters – and equally large numbers of Republicans – supportcreating a temporary worker program. FOX News (5/16-5/18) found 63% of allvoters support a temporary worker program and 63% of Republicans supporting ittoo. Similarly, CBS (5/16-5/17) found 61% of Americans and 62% of Republicanssupport a temporary worker program.

Providing a way for illegal immigrants already hereto obtain legal status. Proposalsto allow illegal immigrants who have been in the country for at least fiveyears and meet other requirements (pay a fine, pay back taxes, learn English,and go to the back of the line) to apply for legal status garner wide support.Close to 80% support such a proposal in the CNN poll (5/16-5/17) and 77% in theCBS News poll (5/16-5/17), including 76% of Republicans. And according to theNBC News/WSJ poll (4/21-4/24), more than two-thirds (68%) supportthe Hagel-Martinez approach that passed the Senate.

Sending the National Guard to help Border Patrolagents secure the border. Voters strongly support thePresident’s plan to deploy National Guard troops to the Mexican border. 74%support the plan in the ABC News/Washington Post poll (5/12-5/14), 64%support it in the CNN poll (5/16-5/17), and 62% support it in the CBS Newspoll. Moreover, the CBS poll shows 68% believe National Guard troops will beeffective in reducing illegal immigration.

II. RNC Polling Summary

Examining RNC internal polling sheds even more lighton the immigration debate. Our most recent poll (5/21-5/23) by Voter/ConsumerResearch finds:

Overwhelming support exists for a temporary workerprogram. 80% of all voters, 83% of Republicans, and 79% ofself-identified conservatives support a temporary worker program as long asimmigrants pay taxes and obey the law.

When voters are given the choice of other immigrationproposals, strengthening enforcement with a tamper-proof identity card (89%among all voters, 93% among GOP), various wordings of a temporary workerprogram (the highest at 85% among all voters, 86% among GOP), and sendingNational Guard troops to the border (63% among all voters, 84% among GOP) scorethe highest among both all voters and Republican voters.

Immigration Proposals, Ranked ByOverall Support

Voters don’t consider granting legal status to thosealready here amnesty. Seventy percent (70%) of voters say illegalimmigrants who have put down roots in the U.S. should be granted legal statusafter they go to the back of the line, pay a fine, pay back taxes, learnEnglish, and have a clean criminal record; just 25% say that would be amnestyand we should instead impose criminal penalties on illegal immigrants in theU.S. Republican and conservative opinion is only slightly lower—68% ofconservatives and 64% of Republicans support granting legal status overcriminal penalties.

Voters want comprehensive reform, including atemporary worker program and legal status, not inaction. Whenvoters are given the choice between a comprehensive reform plan of gettingtough on border security and a temporary worker program or no reform at all(below), 71% choose comprehensive reform and 19% choose no reform. Support forcomprehensive reform is even higher among GOP base voters—80% of conservatives and72% of church-going Protestants want comprehensive reform over no reform.

Republican candidates succeed when they supporttaking action on immigration. Our poll tested a number ofmessages, and found candidates who talk about comprehensive reform are moresuccessful than those who focus only on border security. For example, acandidate using comprehensive reform language wins 71%—including 52% ofRepublicans—when matched against a seal-the-border candidate.

  • Candidate     A “who only supports sealing off the border, stopping illegal immigrants     from entering the country, and imposing criminal penalties on immigrants     already here”

  • Candidate     B “who supports comprehensive immigration reform that would beef up border     security, enforce laws against companies that hire illegals and creates a     temporary worker program that would allow immigrants to work here for a     set period of time so long as they register, pay taxes, obey the law, and     return home when their permit expires.”

25%are more likely to support Candidate A
71% are more likely to support Candidate B

Finally, when discussing immigration reform,tone and language are extremely important. To continue to grow the party, wemust conduct this debate with civility and respect for our nation’s heritage –as the President has said, we are both a nation of laws and a nation ofimmigrants. That is why the American people favor a balanced plan that securesthe border, improves enforcement, enhances immigration avenues AND dealscompassionately and equitably with those who are already here.

bh