Californians
say undocumented immigrants should get to stay: poll
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[October 01, 2015]
By Sharon Bernstein
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A strong
majority of Californians say immigrants benefit their state and that
those who came to the United States illegally should be allowed to
remain to live and work, a poll published on Wednesday shows.
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About three-quarters of those interviewed for the Public Policy
Institute of California (PPIC) poll, including a majority of
Republicans, said undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay
if they meet certain conditions.
The findings come as some candidates vying for the Republican
presidential nomination take strong anti-illegal immigration policy
stances, including a call by front-runner Donald Trump to deport the
estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally.
"I asked the question because of all the chatter on immigration this
summer," said PPIC President Mark Baldassare. "What I found was
Californians, much more than the nation as a whole, say that we need
to find a way for undocumented immigrants who live and work here to
stay here."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Oct/01/images/ads/current/LPL_small%201.gif) At the national level, a majority also believe undocumented
immigrants should be able to stay, Baldassare said, citing a July
ABC News/Washington Post poll that shows 60 percent favor a path to
legal status.
Those numbers are considerably higher in California, however, where
83 percent of Democrats, 53 percent of Republicans and 70 percent of
independents said undocumented immigrants should be able to stay if
they pay a fine and meet other requirements, for a total of 75
percent of all adults interviewed.
Support was also strong across ethnic lines, with 76 percent of
Asians, 68 percent of blacks, 92 percent of Latinos and 63 percent
of whites in favor of a path to legal status.
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Those opposed to such a policy included 15 percent of Democrats, 43
percent of Republicans and 26 percent of independents.
In California, 43 percent of voters are registered as Democrats, 28
percent as Republicans and 24 percent as having no party preference.
Democrats hold all statewide elected offices and large majorities in
both houses of the legislature.
In other matters, a slim majority of Californians told pollsters
they favored extending temporary tax increases credited with easing
a budget crisis in 2013. The poll also showed that state residents
continue to see ongoing drought and the possibility of water
shortages as a pressing issue, but fewer blame their neighbors for
not doing enough to conserve.
(Editing by Eric Walsh)
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