The gap between the two parties on immigration is so wide that there is very little common ground for policy solutions, as per a study commissioned by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. new poll commissioned by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
The Ipsos survey asked people to rate their support or opposition to eight immigration policies, none of which received majority support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Three proposals came close.
Of all respondents, 66 percent said they would support making it easier for people fleeing violence to immigrate to the United States; 84 percent of Democrats supported that idea, as did 64 percent of independents and 49 percent of Republicans.
Increasing penalties for businesses hiring undocumented workers was supported by 85 percent of Republican respondents, 67 percent of independents, 66 percent of all respondents, and 48 percent of Democrats.
Increasing deportations found support from 89 percent of Republicans, 66 percent of independents, 65 percent of all respondents, and 46 percent of Democrats.
The poll comes as the Biden administration is considering options to address immigration through executive action, including potentially making more immigrants eligible to work legally or cracking down on asylum at the border.
In the survey, proposals leaning toward making it easier for foreign nationals to immigrate or regularize their status received the approval of at least 73 percent of Democrats, and only cracked 40 percent approval among Republicans in one case.
The proposal with the largest Republican-Democrat split was expansion of the border wall. An overwhelming 87 percent of Republicans approve that idea, while only 28 percent of Democrats do. Overall, respondents were evenly split on the wall: 52 percent of independents and 54 percent of respondents overall approve further wall construction.
Democratic support was highest for creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently in the country: 85 percent of Democrats, 60 percent of respondents overall and 59 percent of independents support that notion, though only 33 percent of Republicans agree.
A toned-down version of a path to citizenship, “establishing a way for most immigrants currently in the country illegally to stay here legally,” drew the support of 80 percent of the poll’s Democratic respondents, 54 percent of respondents overall, and 52 percent of independents.
Republicans overwhelmingly reject the idea: Only 27 percent voiced approval.
A proposal to increase the number of people allowed to come legally drew the support of 73 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of independents, and 55 percent of all respondents and 36 percent of Republicans.
Ahead of November’s election, the partisan divide presents a challenge for both parties to appease their respective bases while winning over undecided and centrist voters.
Republicans are pushing the issue more aggressively — an AdImpact analysis of ad spending commissioned by the Immigration Hub found that the GOP has spent $38 million on “anti-immigrant TV ads” connected to federal, state and local races in six battleground states.
Apart from Montana, where Democrats and aligned groups have spent $1 million on TV and digital ads, "Democratic candidates and groups spent $2,534 on 3 ads that aired 25 times in Texas." The anti-immigration ads got 2.3 billion views, compared to 25 million for the pro-immigration ads, says that report.
The majority of the Republican and Republican-leaning ads were placed in North Carolina, Texas and Ohio, states where Republicans already have an advantage, the report found.
These investments could address internal divisions on immigration within the party.
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs survey found significant differences in attitudes toward the proposed policy solutions between "Trump Republicans" and "Non-Trump Republicans," and between Liberal and moderate or conservative Democrats.
The survey defined Trump Republicans as those who have a very favorable opinion of former President Trump, and non-Trump Republicans as those who expressed somewhat favorable or unfavorable views. The two groups are more or less evenly split — 53 percent of Republican respondents fell into the pro-Trump category, and 47 percent did not.
Among Democrats, the biggest division was on support for border wall construction. Liberals overwhelmingly reject the idea: Only 15 percent said they support more wall construction, while moderate and conservative Democrats are divided, with 56 percent supporting.
Increasing deportations and raising penalties on companies who hire undocumented workers also showed nearly-30 percentage point divisions among Democrats.
Those three policies received overwhelming support among all Republican respondents, but measures to either increase immigration or allow immigrants to obtain papers proved to be contentious among Republicans.
The most significant division was between 42 percent of non-Trump Republicans who support allowing most undocumented immigrants to stay in the country legally, while only 15 percent of Trump supporters support that measure.
Similarly, a pathway to citizenship received 46 percent support among non-Trump Republicans, and 22 percent among Trump supporters.
Majorities of non-Trump GOP voters expressed support for making it easier for immigrants on temporary visas to stay in the United States, and for making it easier for people fleeing violence to come to the country, while only about a third of pro-Trump Republicans supported those measures.
The survey was conducted April 5-4 among a weighted national sample of 1,021 adults nationwide, with a reported 3.3 percent overall margin of error, and a 6.3 percent margin of error for Republicans, 5.8 point margin for Democrats and 5.1 point margin for independents.
