Pew Hispanic Center Press Release (28 Oct 2010): Illegal Immigration Backlash Worries, Divides Latinos

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Press

Release

October 28, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seaborn

info@...

202-419-3606

or

Molly Rohal

mrohal@...

202-419-4318

Illegal Immigration Backlash

Worries, Divides Latinos

The

national political backlash against illegal immigration has created new

divisions among Latinos and heightened their concerns about

discrimination against members of their ethnic group--including those

who were born in the United States or who immigrated legally.

About

four-in-five of the nation's estimated 11.1 million unauthorized

immigrants are of Hispanic origin. A new national survey finds that

Latinos are divided over what to do with these immigrants. A small

majority says unauthorized immigrants should pay a fine but not be

deported, while a small minority says they should be deported and a

larger minority says they should not be punished. Hispanics are

also divided about the impact of illegal immigration on Hispanics

already living in the U.S. Some 29% say the impact has been positive,

down from 50% who said the same in 2007.

Today,

more than six-in-ten (61%) Latinos say that discrimination against

Hispanics is a " major problem, " up from 54% who said that in

2007. Asked to state the most important factor leading to

discrimination, a plurality of 36% now cites immigration status, up

from a minority of 23% who said the same in 2007. Back then, a

plurality of respondents--46%--identified language skills as the

biggest cause of discrimination against Hispanics.

Despite

rising concerns about discrimination against Latinos, the new survey

finds no increase over the past year in the share of Latinos who report

that they or someone they know have been targets of discrimination. And

the survey finds a decrease in the share of Latinos who say they have

been stopped by the authorities and asked about their immigration

status.

While

the survey finds differences among Latinos on several questions related

to illegal immigration, it also finds many points of broad agreement.

Fully

86% of Latinos support providing a path to citizenship for

unauthorized immigrants if they pass background checks, pay a fine

and have jobs.

On

birthright citizenship, nearly eight-in-ten (78%) say the

Constitution should be left as is.

When it comes to who should

enforce the nation's immigration laws, more than three-quarters

(77%) of Latinos say it should be the exclusive responsibility of

federal authorities.

The vast majority of

Latinos--79%--disapprove of the first-of-its-kind Arizona law

enacted this year that gives police broad powers to check the

immigration status of people they stop for other reasons whom they

suspect may be in this country illegally.

These

and many other findings emerge from a national survey of 1,375 Latino

adults conducted by landline and cellular telephone, in English and

Spanish, from August 17 through September 19, 2010 by the Pew Hispanic

Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.

The report, " Illegal Immigration Backlash Worries, Divides Latinos, "

authored by Mark Hugo , Associate Director, Pew Hispanic Center,

Rich Morin, Senior Editor, Pew Research Center, and ,

Director, Pew Hispanic Center, is available at the Pew Hispanic

Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org.

The Pew Hispanic Center, a

project of the Pew Research Center, is a

nonpartisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington,

D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Pew Hispanic Center | 1615 L

Street, NW, Suite 700 | Washington | DC | 20036

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing this Tom. I haven’t read the report yet, but

the summary seems to capture some of the pervasive and justified worries

Latinos feel these days. I look forward to reading this.

Kay Sologaistoa

Florida Association of Community

Health Centers

2340 Hansen Lane

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

(850) 942-1822

erin@...

www.fachc.org

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Painter,

(CDC/OID/NCHHSTP)

Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 4:11 PM

Subject: [ ] Pew Hispanic Center Press Release (28

Oct 2010): Illegal Immigration Backlash Worries, Divides Latinos

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Press Release

October 28, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seaborn

info@...

202-419-3606

or

Molly Rohal

mrohal@...

202-419-4318

Illegal Immigration Backlash

Worries, Divides Latinos

The

national political backlash against illegal immigration has created new

divisions among Latinos and heightened their concerns about discrimination

against members of their ethnic group--including those who were born in

the United States or who immigrated legally.

About

four-in-five of the nation's estimated 11.1 million unauthorized

immigrants are of Hispanic origin. A new national survey finds that

Latinos are divided over what to do with these immigrants. A small

majority says unauthorized immigrants should pay a fine but not be

deported, while a small minority says they should be deported and a

larger minority says they should not be punished. Hispanics are

also divided about the impact of illegal immigration on Hispanics

already living in the U.S. Some 29% say the impact has been positive,

down from 50% who said the same in 2007.

Today,

more than six-in-ten (61%) Latinos say that discrimination against

Hispanics is a " major problem, " up from 54% who said that in

2007. Asked to state the most important factor leading to

discrimination, a plurality of 36% now cites immigration status, up

from a minority of 23% who said the same in 2007. Back then, a

plurality of respondents--46%--identified language skills as the

biggest cause of discrimination against Hispanics.

Despite

rising concerns about discrimination against Latinos, the new survey

finds no increase over the past year in the share of Latinos who report

that they or someone they know have been targets of discrimination. And

the survey finds a decrease in the share of Latinos who say they have

been stopped by the authorities and asked about their immigration

status.

While the

survey finds differences among Latinos on several questions related to

illegal immigration, it also finds many points of broad

agreement.

Fully 86% of Latinos support providing a

path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants if they pass

background checks, pay a fine and have jobs.

On birthright citizenship, nearly

eight-in-ten (78%) say the Constitution should be left as is.

When

it comes to who should enforce the nation's immigration laws, more

than three-quarters (77%) of Latinos say it should be the

exclusive responsibility of federal authorities.

The

vast majority of Latinos--79%--disapprove of the first-of-its-kind

Arizona law enacted this year that gives police broad powers to

check the immigration status of people they stop for other reasons

whom they suspect may be in this country illegally.

These and

many other findings emerge from a national survey of 1,375 Latino

adults conducted by landline and cellular telephone, in English and Spanish,

from August 17 through September 19, 2010 by the Pew Hispanic Center, a

project of the Pew Research Center.

The report, " Illegal Immigration Backlash Worries, Divides Latinos, "

authored by Mark Hugo , Associate Director, Pew Hispanic Center,

Rich Morin, Senior Editor, Pew Research Center, and ,

Director, Pew Hispanic Center, is available at the Pew Hispanic

Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org.

The Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is a nonpartisan, non-advocacy research

organization based in Washington, D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Pew Hispanic

Center | 1615 L Street, NW, Suite 700 | Washington | DC | 20036