24 AUG 2022
New Poll: Battleground Voters Want Congress to Protect Dreamers, Latinos Reject Extremism, Democrats Can Counter GOP Anti-Immigration Attacks Ahead of Midterms
Following the Biden-Harris Administration’s move to preserve DACA with a looming 5th circuit decision that could end it, new poll Finds strong support for the program
Read Battleground Poll Findings
Washington, DC — Today, the Immigration Hub and SEIU released the results of a new battleground poll, conducted by Hart Research and BSP Research surveying voters in nine states including Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and New Hampshire. The poll revealed support for pro-immigrant policies such as protecting Dreamers and providing a path to citizenship for farm workers and undocumented immigrants more broadly. Most voters also support efforts to modernize our legal immigration system, buttressing the case for Congress to take common sense action to reduce America’s green card backlog. By similar strong margins, battleground voters oppose extreme anti-immigrant positions being championed by GOP candidates. The poll also found it critically important for Democrats to counter GOP attacks by going on the offense and exploiting Republican vulnerabilities on immigration, including their support for policies that try to separate families and deport settled immigrants.
Sergio Gonzales, Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, said: “The key to Democrats winning the debate on immigration is not silence, it’s holding Republican politicians accountable for an extreme agenda that is out of step with Americans. Voters in key battleground states, including swing and Latinos voters, not only reject the GOP’s extreme anti-immigrant agenda, but they continue to strongly support pro-immigrant solutions, including protecting our nation’s Dreamers, farm workers, TPS holders and undocumented immigrants. With DACA facing a serious legal challenge brought forward by GOP politicians who want to end the program and put hundreds of thousands of Dreamers on a path to deportation, it is imperative for Democratic candidates to actively engage on this issue and do everything in their power to protect Dreamers and their families.”
Rocio Saenz, Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), said: “This is important research that dispels harmful fallacies about how immigration is affecting the 2022 election and that confirms what we hear every day when we talk to voters in swing states: Democrats do best when they embrace the issue and offer positive solutions rather than leaving Republican attacks unanswered.”
Geoff Garin, President of Hart Research, who conducted the poll, added: “Our polling shows that despite Republicans' persistent attacks on immigration, voters in battlegrounds overwhelmingly remain supportive of pro-immigrant policies like protecting Dreamers. But to win on this issue this November, it will not be enough for Democrats to make the case for Democratic principles and policies— Democrats must go on the offense against the GOP and highlight several aspects of the GOP's unpopular immigration record, including their plans to deport Dreamers and undocumented immmigrants, which are deeply concerning to swing voters. Essentially, smart and stronger engagement on the immigration issue— including attacking Republican vulnerabilities— can yield important benefits for Democrats in races where victories will be decided by small margins."
Matt Barreto, BSP Research President and Co-Founder, who conducted the poll, continued: “While the economy is the top priority for Latino voters, immigration remains a salient and emotional issue for a critical segment of Latinos for whom this is a top issue, a personal issue, and will be a motivating issue to get them to the polls this November, especially when Republican politicians make anti-immigrant rhetoric a center piece of their campaign. If Republicans want to run on canceling DACA and deporting Dreamers, Democrats would be wise to run on their continued strong support for DACA and Dreamers which are extremely popular with Latino voters.”
The key survey findings show that battleground voters support pro-immigrant policies like DACA. However, Democrats are vulnerable on the issue of immigration if they stay silent. Democrats must engage and highlight GOP vulnerabilities to counter Republican attacks:
A strong majority of voters (65%) say that Congress should act to protect Dreamers if a federal court overturns the DACA program, as do 78% of Latino voters. With the backdrop of a looming decision by the 5th Circuit that could end DACA, battleground voters want Congress to protect the Dreamers and act on immigration legislation that would stabilize the agricultural workforce and address rising food prices.
Republican attacks have not decreased voter support for pro-immigrant solutions. A majority of voters support pro-immigrant policies: An overwhelming 70% of battleground voters— including 82% of Latinos, 76% of swing voterrs, 74% of independents, and 76% of moderates— agree with Democrats that undocumented immigrants should be provided a path to citizenship.
Democrats are vulnerable to Republican attacks on the border, but if Democrats engage aggressively on the immigration issue— including attacking Republican vulnerabilities— there is a substantial shift towards Democrats that blunt Republican attacks.
Several aspects of their immigration record are deeply concerning to swing voters and should be highlighted.
Republicans support separating immigrant families and putting children in cages. (67% very serious concerns)
Republicans are trying to deport law-abiding immigrants who have lived in and contributed to the United States for many years. (60% very serious concerns)
While battleground voters initially express more confidence in Republicans on immigration, the script can be flipped. When voters were asked to choose between a Democrat who favors a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants vs. a Republican who says we should not let illegal immigrants become legal, an 8-point deficit suddenly becomes a 7-point Democratic advantage. Framing the immigration debate around this contrast is the most effective way to counter Republican border-related attacks.
Immigration remains a salient issue for Latino voters: Half of Latino voters say they personally know someone who is undocumented, and for nearly one-quarter (23%) of Latino voters, it is a family member who is undocumented. This raises the salience and emotional connection to the immigration issue, especially when Republican politicians make anti-immigrant rhetoric a center piece of their campaign.
Latino voters reject GOP xenophobia and extremism: Two of the most serious concerns Latino battleground voters had about Republicans were “use of hateful attacks on immigrants that encourage white nationalists and other domestic terrorists, putting all Americans at risk of violence” (73%) and “support separating immigrant families and putting children in cages” (73%). These issues strike at the personal, emotional, and cultural salience of the immigration issue to many Latino voters.
About the survey: Hart Research and BSP Research conducted an online survey on behalf of SEIU and Immigration Hub in nine battleground Senate races and fifty-seven battleground House district races. The survey of 1,618 battleground likely voters was conducted from July 22 to 25, 2022. The survey of 800 battleground likely Latino voters was conducted from July 26 to August 3, 2022. The survey had a confidence interval of +/- 2.5%. Care has been taken to ensure the geographic and demographic divisions of the population of the electorate are properly represented.
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.