Poll: Most Americans Want Immigration Reform

November 25, 2013

Nearly two-thirds of Americans want some form of a workable immigration plan that would create a path to citizenship for folks living in the country illegally, a new poll finds. The non-partisan Public Religion Research Institute released its poll results Monday. 

protest2.jpgRespondents wanting immigration reform came from all facets of lifestyles and ideologies: 60 percent Republican, 57 percent Independent and 73 percent Democrat, the poll found.

But curiously, only 41 percent of respondents believed immigration reform should be an immediate priority for Congress and the President. And nearly half, 49 percent, supported the idea of a border surge amendment – adding 20,000 new Border Patrol agents and increasing Border Patrol funding. 

The report was released the same day that President Obama is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles where, NBC Latino reports, he will tell people that he anticipates immigration reform legislation will generate $1.5 trillion in the nation's economic growth.