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Pew: Americans Support Arizona Immigration Law 59% to 32%

1:07 PM, May 12, 2010 • By JOHN MCCORMACK
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The Pew Research Center reports that the "public broadly supports a new Arizona law aimed at dealing with illegal immigration" by a 27-point margin. Main elements of the law, when described, are even more popular:

Fully 73% say they approve of requiring people to produce documents verifying their legal status if police ask for them. Two-thirds (67%) approve of allowing police to detain anyone who cannot verify their legal status, while 62% approve of allowing police to question anyone they think may be in the country illegally. After being asked about the law’s provisions, 59% say that, considering everything, they approve of Arizona’s new illegal immigration law, while 32% disapprove.

Perhaps most astonishing is the poll's finding that Democrats are evenly divided on the law--45% approve of the law and 46% disapprove--but "Democrats approve of two of the law’s principal provisions: requiring people to produce documents verifying legal status (65%) and allowing police to detain anyone unable to verify their legal status (55%). Republicans overwhelmingly approve of the law and three provisions tested."

More by John McCormack

Article TAGS:

Arizona, immigration

 

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