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86% to 8%: Voters Want Candidates Who Support Targeted Border, Immigration Solutions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — By nearly 80 percentage points, registered voters say they would support a candidate who works to bring order to the border and enact bipartisan immigration reforms that address labor needs, inflation, and existing foreign-born workers.

The new findings from the National Immigration Forum, in conjunction with The Bullfinch Group, are just the latest evidence of Americans’ support for targeted immigration reforms as an election year approaches. 

Survey participants were asked, “Thinking ahead to the next election, please indicate if you support or oppose the following candidate stance on immigration: A candidate that works to restore order at the border, and believes it is important for Republicans and Democrats to work together to pass immigration reforms that address labor shortages and inflation, and protect people already here and contributing.”

Overall support among registered voters was 86%, with 8% opposed and the rest saying they were unsure. Support was 86% among self-identified Republicans, 84% from those who identified themselves as conservative, and 85%  from evangelical Protestants.   

“As a major election approaches, voters are ready for politicians and candidates to put forward border and immigration solutions, not divide and polarize,” said Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. “The support for the parties to work together on balanced, targeted reforms has been consistent for the past few years, and these results are the strongest we’ve seen. 

“We need reforms that offer security and order without sacrificing compassion and human dignity. Americans want a different, more reasonable conversation.” 

Polling crosstabs are available for all adults and for registered voters. 

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The National Immigration Forum, in conjunction with The Bullfinch Group, conducted a nationwide online survey fielded Nov. 10-14, 2023, among 1,200 adults, of whom 1,000 respondents were registered voters. Sampling controls were used to ensure that a proportional and representative number of respondents were interviewed from demographic groups such as age, gender, political affiliation, race, and geographic region. The margin of error for registered voters is ±3.1% at the 95% confidence interval. The margin of error for adults is ± 2.83% at the 95% confidence interval.

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