USC/LA Times Poll Reveals Shift in Attitudes Regarding Undocumented

Source: USC/LA Times Poll

New poll results reveal important shifts in public attitudes toward illegal immigrants in California, a bellwether state for the debate over immigration policy.

The latest USC College of Letters, Arts & Sciences/Los Angeles Times Poll is the largest statewide sample of registered voters in California this year. Poll results about the California governor's race and Senate race will be released Monday.

In a departure from voter attitudes in the past, Californian voters are much more conflicted about whether to deny taxpayer-supported social services to illegal immigrants. More than 47 percent of registered voters oppose - 45 percent support - proposals to deny social services such as public schooling and emergency room care to illegal immigrants.

A majority of Democratic voters (55%) and decline-to-state voters (53%) would not deny illegal immigrants social services, compared to 31 percent of Republican voters. In support of denying illegal immigrants social services are 37 percent of Democrats, 40 percent of decline-to-state voters and 61 percent of Republicans polled.


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However, among Republican voters, more oppose denying undocumented immigrants access to taxpayer-funded social services (31%) than oppose creating a path to citizenship (29%). Seventy-five percent of Republicans favor temporary worker programs and 65 percent of Republicans favor creating a path to legalization, according to the USC College/Los Angeles Times Poll.

Of the three immigration policy options provided in the poll, all of which included stronger border enforcement, denying undocumented immigrants social services was the least popular option for Democratic voters and independent voters. About two-thirds of both Democratic voters and decline-to-state voters support temporary worker programs and creating a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Overall, almost 70 percent of registered voters support temporary worker programs that do not grant legal citizenship; 67 percent support a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants that includes learning English and paying fines and back taxes; and 45 percent support prohibiting illegal immigrants from using social services.

Steve Poizner make it clear that he wants to end "taxpayer funded services for illegals" (his terminology). He obviously believes taking a tough stand is one of the keys to victory in the coming primary, and calls out his opponent Meg Whitman for speaking in support of a more moderate approach.

I hope someone asks him if an undocumented immigrant has a serious infectious disease that clearly poses a risk to others, if he believes that person should be denied health care services. I assume germs don't care what a person's immigration status is.

The commercial just on went after the "Obama/Whitman" immigration policy. I'm looking forward to seeing the poll results on the CA Sen/Gov races tomorrow.

Just wait until the radio talk show hosts start with the fear mongering and racist demagoguery, and the nasty TV ads, etc. I remember prop 187 in 1994. That shit works.

Every time I raise up the issue of how Californians voted for Prop H8, somebody here always points out the confusion over "vote no if you mean yes" kind of stuff. That could have easily happened here. Somebody hears the words 'undocumented' and 'deny social services', and they really don't listen to the wording of a carefully crafted question designed to bring out the poll result desired.

I really don't think that in the middle of a recession, in the midst of California's budget crisis, that attitudes towards illegal immigrants are changing much towards acceptance.

State issues anymore, and have not voted in local elections since 1976. With respect to free medical care for illegal immigrants or any other free services for illegal immigrants, I think it is past flash point. It doesn't really make any difference anymore. We in the southern california cities will be just another collection of Beruits in as little as 15 years. If you are over 50 and remember what California was like in the late sixies and early seventies compared to what it is now, you know with absolute 100% certaintly what will happen next. If you are unsure, take a visit to USC medical center in downtown Los Angeles. If you haven't thrown up by the time you reach the lobby, you are a better man than I.

And what I learned from my Dad, who got there prior to WW2, is that those who do not pay attention and cast their votes are the main problem faced by California. You don't vote. This means you helped create every bad move since 76. Means you did not bother to vote against the Briggs Amendment, nor Pete Wilson, nor Duke, nor Arnold. Means you helped put Prop 13 on the books, as well as Prop 8.
Those who sit on their hands on the bus of survivors have no place to speak about anything. I come from an active family, in CA far longer than you, and I do not agree with the xenophobic streak in your post at all. When my Mom and her family came from OK, the CA authorities treated them exactly as the newcomers are treated now, and you know what, she and her family did just fine, helped build the State, from picking cotton to employing dozens of people in various businesses. So we probably have a different perspective to that of a relative newcomer who does not participate in elections.
What you need to do is vote. Register for absentee, so it is easy, and then simply vote. Defeat the Republicans, it is simple in CA. Defeat the Republicans.

time, one so remote from what California is now as is Earth from Mercury. My duty to this State is done. You go ahead and vote. See if you can get a law passed that requires itinerant workers to heed "No Soliciting" signs posted on front doors. I'll stick with my forecast: less than 15 years southern california cities will be less civilized than Beruit. In 25 years southern california will not even be part of the United States. Well, I have to stop posting now. I'm in a long line waiting for medical attention and my laptop battery is running low. Xenophobic streak?... Ha Ha

I'm surprising you're not talking about Eurabia or Greater Aztlan.

"To deny the repeal of the legislature's refusal to ban ...."

there was beer involved...