Monday, December 9, 2024

Pew Research Survey: Latinos Divided Over How to Handle Surge of Unaccompanied Minors at the Border

immigration

 

 

 

 

 

According to a recent Pew Research Survey conducted earlier this month, Hispanics are torn over how to best address the influx of unaccompanied minors at the southern border. 49% of Latinos are in favor of maintaining the current policy that dictates how immigration cases are decided, while 47% of those surveyed support an overhaul of the system that would expedite the legal process of deportations.

This virtual split in public opinion among Latinos is in stark contrast to the rest of the general population surveyed which favors an expedited process by a considerably higher margin of 53% to 39%. The survey also found that there is an elevated sense of awareness about the humanitarian crisis at the border among Latinos given the deep familial ties many Latinos have in Central America.

75% of Latinos who took part in the survey said it was “extremely” or “very important” to reach a legislative solution to the crisis through comprehensive immigration reform this year. Although Hispanics are generally dissatisfied with the current handling of the crisis, 54% of respondents noted that Democrats would likely do a better job than Republicans of handling the issue.

Among Republicans support for a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants has decreased from 64% to 54% since February, pointing to the dwindling prospects of passing immigration reform before the upcoming Congressional recess.

Pew Research Center