83% of Undocumented Immigrants Would Comply with Senate Bill - Poll
"We've had a political firestorm literally raging across the country, and the 12 million undocumented immigrants at the center of that firestorm have until now not had a voice in the debate," said Sandy Close, executive director of New America Media. Fielded between June 9 and 19 by Bendixen & Associates, the Spanish-language poll found that an "overwhelming majority" of illegal immigrants are paying close attention to the debate and immigration reform proposals in Congress. The bill before the Senate, backed heavily by the White House, would tighten border security, create a temporary guest worker program, and offer undocumented immigrants a "path to citizenship." Some 83 percent of poll respondents said they would comply with the Senate bill's proposals in order to legalize their status -- including registering with the government, submitting to background checks, and paying fines of $3,000 for the head of the household and $2,000 for each additional undocumented member of the family. A majority of respondents said they would also be willing to complete a controversial "touchback provision" requiring workers to return to their home countries to pick up their temporary visas, as long as re-entry in to the United States were guaranteed. Overall, 63 percent of respondents said they would "touchback," 27 percent said they would not, and 10 percent were undecided. "In terms of immigration reform, this is key because of the compliance issue," said Close. "You can have a great policy that comes out of Congress -- but what if nobody cares and nobody abides by it? The poll showed that [undocumented immigrants] would be willing to work with these provisions, because they have an overwhelming interest in regularizing their status." At least one element of the proposal does not sit well with many of those polled. The Senate bill limits eligibility for the Z Visa -- the temporary work visa for those who entered the U.S. illegally -- to workers who have been here longer than five years.
This measure is a "deal breaker" that "would keep a huge percentage of the undocumented from being able to participate in this new law," Bendixen said in a recorded interview with New America Media's immigration editor Sandip Roy. The Senate immigration bill is taking heat from both sides of the aisle. It has been criticized as too punitive by many progressive groups and labor organizations -- including the AFL-CIO, which opposes it -- and too permissive by several Senate Republicans, who say it offers amnesty to those who break the law. At least six major Hispanic advocacy groups oppose the bill, including the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities, and the Hispanic Federation. The National Council of La Raza, the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the country, has urged senators to move the bill forward, while expressing concerns about some provisions and amendments. Proponents of the Senate bill say it is necessary in order to fix a broken system that hurts working families. The New America Media poll found that 78 percent of undocumented Latin American immigrants agree that "anti-immigrant sentiment is growing in the United States." Sixty-four percent say it has negatively affected their families. A second poll, released today by the American Friends Service Committee, found strong support among the entire U.S. public for immigration reform that includes a path to permanent residency for undocumented immigrants and keeps immigrant families together. "Much of the nation's economy today depends on the hard work and the many contributions of immigrants. The agricultural industry would grind to a halt without immigrant farm workers," Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), one of the bill's supporters, said in a statement last week. "They want to come out of the shadows and help strengthen this country." Today's Senate vote sets the stage for lawmakers to consider several amendments over the coming days. Another make-or-break vote on whether to continue moving the bill forward could come before the weekend. ....................................................................................
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