Fort LOUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — As President Donald Trump’s administration imposes new restrictions on the legal immigration system, American adults are more likely than a year ago, according to a new poll, to think these immigrants would benefit the country.
Investigation from Associated Press-NORC Civil Service Research Center Americans have discovered that in March 2024, they are more likely to say that people coming to the United States are legally contributing to economic growth and that it is a “major benefit” that helps American companies gain the expertise of skilled workers. The survey showed that Americans They were January We need to reduce the number of legal immigrants to the United States. They say it’s slightly less than half of Americans, but this number should remain the same, with a similar percentage since the beginning of this year.
At the same time, perceptions of illegal immigrants have not changed significantly. Americans continue to benefit less from people who illegally come to the United States, and are more likely to see significant risks from these immigrants, including concerns about committing crimes while they are in the United States.
Trump, a Republican, has focused a lot of attention on his arrests. And deportation Although it is illegally the nation’s people, new screenings, screenings and increased costs have also affected people who want to legally come to the US and work and study. Trump signed on Friday Declaration for overhauling the H-1B visa programone of the most common routes for highly skilled foreign workers, and currently requires a fee of $100,000 for applications. The Trump administration is also exposing green card applicants to “Anti-American” Screeningand students applying for a visa now Social Media Review.
Even Republicans are unlikely to say that legal immigration should be cut short since the beginning of the year, and that’s more likely to say that it should remain intact.
Philip Steers of St. Petersburg, Florida, is a Republican and the United States feels it makes it too difficult for people to legally migrate. His nephew married a Cambodian woman and they have worked for months to secure a visa for their spouse.
“If you’re pushing all the illegal people, why not make it easier for those who want to come here legally?” 76.
Republicans are unlikely to want to reduce legal immigration
They say they’re slightly less than half of American adults, but say the number of legal immigrants should remain the same, but about a quarter should cut “a lot” or “a little” in the number of legal immigrants to the United States. This will be reduced since January when about a third said this.
The decline is driven primarily by Republicans. Right now, about three in 10 Republicans say legal immigration should be reduced from 45% in January.
Approximately three in ten US adults say the number of legal immigrants to the US should increase “high” or “little.”
“If we don’t have immigrants as a culture, culture stagnates, and we have to balance that,” Stairs said.
See more economic growth and profits from immigration for businesses
Americans are more likely to see “major” benefits from people legally coming to the United States and less likely to see “major” risk, compared to the AP-NORC poll conducted earlier last year.
Approximately six in 10 adults in the US, legally the “major” benefits of immigrants in the country are contributing to economic growth, which rose from around four to 10 in March 2024. Similarly, 51% of US adults have the “major” benefit of legal immigration, which is why American companies gain expertise in areas like science and technology compared to 41% in March 2024.
Carlos Gonzalez, born in the US to Panama parents, said immigration “provides a lot to the US economy.”
“They bring a variety of ideas to help the economy,” said Gonzalez, 53, a Democrat from Waterbury, Connecticut, who added that his mother was a military nurse in Vietnam. “A lot of people don’t realize when they come here they try to enrich the country and don’t take it away.”
Some of the perceived benefits are economic, but some are cultural, with about 46% saying the “major” benefits of legal immigration is enriching American culture and values from 38% of previous polls.
Changing opinions do not illegally extend to the country’s immigration
Jeff Vitschzak of El Paso, Texas, identified as a moderate Republican and supports Trump’s implementation efforts Large expulsion They say that there is no need to focus on people who have committed violent crimes illegally among people across the country. Witoszczak is married to a Mexican woman who came legally to the United States when she was a child.
“When you come here illegally, it’s a crime in itself,” Witoszczak said. “They didn’t follow the coming due process. They don’t have to put out a legitimate process.”
Americans tend to see greater risks and smaller benefits from immigrants illegally in the country, and these views have remained largely unchanged since last year.
Currently, about four in 10 adults in the US say that it’s a major advantage to illegally bringing jobs that Americans don’t want, starting from about a third last year. And 42% say that immigrants in the country are illegally contributing to economic growth, while 32% believe it will enrich American culture and value. These findings have been stable since last year.
About half of US adults say it’s a major risk that domestic immigrants will illegally bear welfare and safety net programs. The research shows that immigrants who work illegally in the country Pay local, state and federal taxes and Usually you are not eligible for federal benefits.
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The AP-NORC poll of 1,183 adults was conducted between September 11 and 15 using samples drawn from Norc’s probability-based Amerispeak panel designed to represent the US population. The margin for sampling errors across adults is either positive or negative 3.8 percentage points.
