(Time) New Poll: Americans Favor a Guest Worker Plan (* 37% approval)

[sabra]

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1179117,00.html

New Poll: Americans Favor a Guest Worker Plan
79% say illegal immigrants should have the chance to work here, but most want tougher enforcement too


Americans polled by TIME magazine show strong support for a guest-worker program and a process for undocumented workers to become citizens, but they take a tough stance on securing the borders. And most do not want illegal immigrants to have access to health care, public education or driver's licenses.

In the telephone survey of 1004 adults, conducted Wednesday and Thursday, 79% say they favor a guest worker program that would allow illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. for a fixed period of time — the main provision of the bill proposed by Senators John McCain and Edward Kennedy that is now under fierce debate in Congress. Only 47% of those polled say they support the tougher measure backed by some House conservatives, deporting all illegal immigrants back to their home countries.

Although Americans want to give illegal immigrants the chance to work in the U.S. temporarily and even earn citizenship—78% say illegal immigrants who learn English, have a job and pay taxes ought to have a chance at it—they also want better enforcement both at the border and inside the country. A large majority, 71%, favor major penalties for people who hire illegal immigrants; 62% want the U.S. to take "whatever steps are necessary" to secure the border with Mexico, including posting military forces; and 56% favor a 2,000-mile-long fence. That two-pronged approach to illegal immigration is the same one favored by President Bush, who wants both a guest worker program and tighter border security.

...

While the President's position on illegal immigration is clearly resonating with many voters, it hasn't helped his sagging approval ratings. They sank to 37% in the poll, a new low.

[PsN2Wind]

1. So 79% say allow them to stay

47% say deport them. Anything on what the other 126% would like done?

[NYC Liberal]

2. It's a different poll.

That 47% is another poll asking if they support deporting all illegal immigrants.
The 79% is another asking if they would support allowing illegal immigrants to remain for a certain period of time.

Badly worded.

[lovuian]

3. Heres what I read

79% say they favor a guest worker program that would allow illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. for a fixed period of time

that doesn't mean stay... it means stay for a fixed period of time...

[napi21]

4. Did you happen to see Mayor Bloomberg on cnn this AM?

He actually was the most realistic person I've heard on this issue.

To paraphrase: He said We should give all the people already working here in the US permanent status. We need to be realistic here. Everybody KNOWs we can't deport 12 million people! Forget the guest worker stuff. You're still not going to have people coming forward because they don't want to have to leave in 6 years! Sure, it's rewarding lawbreakers, but we don't have any other choice! Give them all permanent status so all will have reason to come forward. They'll be identified, work on the record and pay taxes like all the rest of us! THEN, establish a gust worker program for future people who wish to cross our boarders, and then they'll do it legally!

This was an interview John King did on the subway this AM. I'll try to find a link, but I'll be surprised is CNN has it up anywhere.

[fujiyama]

7. I disagree with general amnesty

because it penalizes all those that have come to this nation LEGALLY. Meanwhile, those people are stuck on some temporary visa, while someone that has snuck across the border gets a free ride? That's blatantly unfair to those that have waited through the years, jumped through the INS' hoops and played the game.

I agree that it's impossible to deport 10-12 million people. I also don't believe it's morally right. Some have kids now (that are US citizens). Some have family as well.

Blanket amnesty proposals are a bad idea, though I think Kennedy and McCain's bill is a decent idea (atleast a better alternative to Bush and Sensenbrenner's plan). It's a bit too leniant, but 11 years residence, a thorough background check, proven ability to speak and read English, pay all back taxes, and a fine are a step forward IMO.

Though, I have no idea how they would look into an undocumented person's record for so many years to find all those unpaid taxes. Either way, this is a difficult and complex situation. Personally, I don't like the idea of rewarding those that broke the law. I think we should consider a more sensible and realistic legal immigration policy toward Mexico. Their living standards have to be improved. This administration also has basically given up enforcing labor standards. It's time employers of illegal immigrants get much stiffer penalties.

[freethought]

5. A complicated issue, any solution is going to make someone

very unhappy.
To say that the U.S. is going to round up, jail, incarcerate, or deport 11-12 million illegal aliens is absolutely absurd. Personally I would offer them some sort of amnesty and a streamlined process to attain citizenship.
The guest worker program is something I have mixed feelings on. This program may not bode well for native born American citizens working similar types of jobs and I am sure that corporate America would salivate at the prospect of a
pool of available cheap immigrant labor that, above all, has no voting power. Not only that, it does not seem realistic that you could bring hundreds of thousands of guest workers into the country, have them work for a few years, and then just expect them to leave. Some other countries have already tried this and it hasn't worked out very well.
Some time ago, I worked for a landscaper that used undocumented workers. These guys were from Brazil.
All in all they were a pretty nice bunch of guys. They could speak English, however a little broken.
And I cannot fault them in any way for their work ethic. They WORKED! One of them was a kid, barely in his twenties and worked three jobs. Most of the money went back to Brazil. In my few conversations with him he did say he wanted to return to Brazil but wasn't going to do so until he had been able to send back a certain amount of cash. Not sure if he ever did go back. One thing I was sure of was that if this kid had some educational avenues he could do just about anything.

It just seems as if whatever the solution there is a downside that is going to leave someone unhappy or angry.
I will have to stew more on this one.

[bluestateguy]

6. More indentured servitude and invisible workers

The American people's attitude is essentially becoming this: Hire the Mexicans to paint your nails, clean your house, mow your lawn, nanny your kids, do your hair, dry clean your clothes and build your new addition on to the house. Tell them to just shut up and work, discourage unionization, look the other way w/ regard to their legal status in the country and live off of the fruits of their labor.

We are becoming a nation that depends on third world foreigners to enhance our sybaritic lifestyles.

This guest worker thing does more to hurt Bush because most of that 37% is conservatives, some of whom are anti-immigrant conservatives (and some of whom are cheap labor business conservatives). So his numbers could drip down another point or two because of losses on the Right.

[w4rma]

8. Very broad question. Meaningless poll, except for propaganda. (nt)