A recent poll by the Brookings Institution establishes that almost two-thirds of Americans approve granting illegal immigrants the opportunity for legal status with a path to citizenship. The published poll clearly indicated that an earned path to citizenship for illegal immigrants came from 71 percent of Democrats and 53 percent, of Republicans ,also a surprising majority,also desire immigration reform.
The poll offered several option for immigration reform. One would grant legal residency, but no path to citizenship. 14 % of Americans found this a viable course. A larger group of responders said they would like to see illegal immigrants rounded up and deported. This group comprise of 21%.
A preponderance of all religious groups in the poll supported giving earned citizenship to illegall immigrants. Support was especially intense among Hispanics, with 74 percent of Hispanic Catholics and 71 percent of Hispanic Protestants favoring that proposal.
Black Protestants Support for the citizenship option was also strong, with 71 percent in favor, Jewish Americans, with 67 percent. A majoriy of the most conservative group in the poll, white evangelical Protestants, had 56 percent in favor of offering citizenship to illegal immigrants after they met certain requirements.
According to 45 percent of Americans, the Republican Party had been hurt in recent elections by its posture on immigration. It was Mtitt Romneys “self deportation” strategy that would have madeillegal immigrants lives so difficult for that they would choose to leave on their own. No many lie this course of action.
The president has introduced a plan that would take up to 13 years for before illegal immigrants could apply to become full citizens. A bipartisan group in the Senate is working on similar legislation that includes a path to earned citizenship. Both proposals would required illegal immigrants to pass criminal background checks, pay fines and back taxes, learn English and civics before they could apply to naturalize.
Republican lawmakers have also been trying various approaches to legalization. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, part of the bipartisan Senate group, has said he would offer eventual citizenship but no special or direct path to it for immigrants who have been in the country illegally.