You are on page 1of 13

#07712

Slide 1
On behalf of the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation
and Freedom Works, Public Opinion Strategies
conducted a national survey of 800 likely
voters. The survey was conducted November 8,
10-12 and has a margin of error of +3.46%.
Trend data is shown from a similar survey
conducted in April 2006.

Slide
Slide
2 2
Slide 3
Voters continue to be divided over the best way to
strengthen our borders.

Education, party and ideology are all key drivers


behind perceptions on how to deal with
immigration and strengthen our borders.
There continues to be no question in voters minds
that an efficient guest or temporary worker
program is key to “absolute control” of the border.

Overwhelmingly, voters believe the number of


legal foreign workers in the country will increase
(70%) or stay the same (19%) in the next five to
ten years. Slide
Slide
4 4
There has been little change in voters’ perception of the best
way to strengthen our borders as they remain divided on this
point.
Strengthen Our Border Increasing Law Enforcement vs. Handling Guest Workers

+10% +10%

51%
47%
41%
37%

April 2006 November 2007

Create a More Efficient Total Increase Law


Guest Worker System Enforcement Officials

Which one of the following do you think will do more to strengthen our border... Increasing the presence of law enforcement officials ...or...
Creating a more efficient system for handling guest workers?

Slide 5
As we have seen in the past, educational attainment plays a
key role in determining voters’ opinion

Strengthen Our Border Increasing Law Enforcement vs. Handling


Guest Workers By Education
-17% +6% +19% +47%

67%
52% 51%
45%
35% 39%
32%
20%

High School or Less Some College College Graduate Post Graduate


(26%) (29%) (31%) (15%)
Create a More Efficient Total Increase Law
Guest Worker System Enforcement Officials
Which one of the following do you think will do more to strengthen our border... Increasing the presence of law enforcement officials
...or... Creating a more efficient system for handling guest workers?

Slide 6
Differences by party and ideology also persist.
Strengthen Our Border By Increasing Law Enforcement
vs. Handling Guest Workers by Party and Ideology

-11% +19% +24% -21% +25% +47%

66%
56% 55%
52%
48% 47%
37%
32% 31% 30%
28%
19%

Republican Independent Democrat Conservative Moderate Liberal


(38%) (17%) (43%) (39%) (41%) (17%)
Create a More Efficient Total Increase Law
Guest Worker System Enforcement Officials
Which one of the following do you think will do more to strengthen our border... Increasing the presence of law enforcement officials
...or... Creating a more efficient system for handling guest workers?

Slide 7
In April last year voters in border states were more likely to want
a better system for guest workers. Today, there is little
difference in opinion between voters living in border and non-
border states.
April 2006 November 2007
+19% +8% +9% +10%

55%
50% 47%
46%
42%
36% 37% 37%

Border States* Non-Border States* Border States* Non-Border States*


(22%) (78%) (22%) (78%)
Create a More Efficient Total Increase Law
Guest Worker System Enforcement Officials
*Border states are Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas
Which one of the following do you think will do more to strengthen our border... Increasing the presence of law enforcement officials
...or... Creating a more efficient system for handling guest workers?

Slide 8
We divided the sample of N=800 voters into two equal
groups.

Half the voters heard the The other half of the


following question: voters heard the
following question:
Which one of the
following do you think Which one of the
will do more to following do you think
strengthen our border… will do more to
strengthen our border…
Increasing the presence
of law enforcement Increasing the presence
officials … or… creating of law enforcement
a more efficient system officials … or… creating
for handling guest a more efficient system
workers? for handling temporary
workers?
Slide 9
When the phrase “temporary workers” is used, a majority of
voters favor a more efficient system for handling workers over
increasing the presence of law enforcement.
Strengthen Our Border Increasing Strengthen Our Border Increasing
Law Enforcement vs. Handling Law Enforcement vs. Handling
“Guest Workers” “Temporary Workers”
+10% +17%

53%
47%
37% 36%

Create a More Efficient Total Increase Law Create a More Efficient


Guest Worker System Enforcement Officials Total Increase Law
Guest Worker System Enforcement Officials

And, please tell me if you agree or disagree with the following And, please tell me if you agree or disagree with the following
statement...“It is not possible to have absolute border control statement...“It is not possible to have absolute border control
without a better system for handling guest workers.” without a better system for handling temporary workers.”

Slide 10
Interestingly, when we tested “guest workers” and “temporary workers”
in a similar manner for how to control the borders, there was very little
difference. The overwhelming agreement here – both over time and using
different terminology– may be due in part to the use of the phrase
“absolute control.”
By Guest Workers By Temporary Workers
November 2007
April 2006 November 2007
+59%
+62% +57%

78% 75% 76%

49% 47% 47%


Strongly Strongly Strongly
Agree 16% Agree 18% Agree 17%

Total Agree Total Disagree


Agree Disagree

And, please tell me if you agree or disagree with the following


And please tell me if you agree or disagree with the following statement… “It statement...“It is not possible to have absolute border control
is not possible to have absolute border control without a better system for without a better system for handling temporary workers.”
handling guest workers.”… And do you STRONGLY (agree/disagree) or just
SOMEWHAT (agree/disagree) with this statement?

Slide 11
Voters have little doubt that the number of legal foreign
workers in the country will increase or at least stay the
same over the next five to ten years.
Increase
70%

Don't Know
4%

Decrease
7%

Stay The Same


19%

Thinking specifically about the next FIVE TO TEN YEARS... do you think the number of foreign workers in this country – that is,
LEGAL foreign workers who have the required visas to work in the United States will – increase, decrease – or stay the same?

Slide 12
For more information about this presentation or about
Public Opinion Strategies, please give us a call.

703-836-7655

You might also like