a strong majority of respondents believe that sending these children back to their home countries...

1

A strong majority of respondents believe that sending these children back to their home countries will convince parents to stop sending their children to the U.S. border.

Solution to Current Border Crisis is to Return and Reunite

Re-locate them to communities across the United States to provide them safe shelter.

Send them back to their home countries to convince parents there to stop sending their children here.

0% 10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

22%

65%

As you may know, by the end of this year 70,000 to 90,000 unaccompanied illegal immigrant children are expected to cross the border in to the United States, which is

three-to-four times the number that crossed over last year. Which of the following approaches do you think is the best way to handle the flood of children over the

border?

Kellyanne ConwayAugust, 14 2014

Nationwide Survey: 1,001 LVs 7/16-20/14

2

Liberals are alone in supporting Obama as Lone Ranger.

Cooperation Sought on Immigration Independents & Moderates Reject Executive “Action”

Total Liberal Moderate Conservative Democrat IndependentRepublican

0.21

0.52

0.21

0.06

0.4

0.14

0.04

0.74

0.44

0.75

0.9

0.56

0.81

0.93

Changing on his own Working with Congress

President Obama recently said that he may go around Congress and take executive action on immi-gration policy. Which do you support more: President Obama changing immigration policy on his

own, or President Obama working with Congress to change immigration policy?



3

Hispanics disagree but opposition is weak.

Majority Say Encourage Return to Home Countries by Tightening Access to Jobs & Welfare

Total Whites Blacks Hispanics

0.670.71

0.530.46

0.270.24

0.410.48

Total Support Total Oppose

One idea is to encourage illegal immigrants to go back to their home countries by keeping them from getting jobs and welfare benefits in the United States. Do you

support or oppose this proposal?



4

Unpopular at each level of concern, whether immigration is a voter’s most important issue or not in top 10.

Immigration Generally Now Seen Through the Lens of the Current Children-at-the-Border Crisis:

Just 20% Prefer Amnesty

Total Most important issue

Top 3 issue Top 10 Issue Not top 10 issue

0.7

0.80.75

0.62

0.55

0.2

0.130.17

0.250.28

0.090.06 0.08

0.120.17

Encouraged to return to their home countries Offered legal status Do not know

In your view, should most illegal immigrants be encouraged to return to their home coun-try or offered legal status in this country?



5

In Competition for Jobs, Voters Prefer Americans Over Additional Immigrants, Legal or Illegal

As the economy creates new jobs, who should get preference: U.S.-born workers and legal immigrants already in the country, OR additional immigrants who would come to the United States (SPLIT SAMPLED)

legally?

n=522

77% U.S.-BORN WORKERS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALREADY IN THE COUNTRY

4% ADDITIONAL IMMIGRANTS WHO WOULD COME TO THE UNITED STATES LEGALLY

17% DO NOT KNOW/CANNOT JUDGE (VOL.) 2% REFUSED (VOL.)

As the economy creates new jobs, who should get preference: U.S.-born workers and legal immigrants already in the country, OR additional immigrants who would come to the United States (SPLIT SAMPLED)

illegally?

n=479

89% U.S.-BORN WORKERS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALREADY IN THE COUNTRY

1% ADDITIONAL IMMIGRANTS WHO WOULD COME TO THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALLY

7% DO NOT KNOW/CANNOT JUDGE (VOL.) 2% REFUSED (VOL.)



Although a gender gap exists, majorities of both men and women support these policies. Majorities of all political parties agree. This includes 2-1 support in regards to intensity (34% strongly support/18% strongly oppose). Support for these policies also increase with income.

6

Majority Support Populist Three-Prong Approach to Border Surge

Total Men Women Republicans Democrats Independents

0.580.63

0.54

0.7

0.54 0.57

0.320.27

0.37

0.23

0.42

0.33

Total Support Total Oppose

To address the current border crisis would you support or oppose an approach that in-cludes three main parts: extra funding for immigration enforcement, making it easier to re-turn young illegal immigrants to their home countries, and restricting the president’s abil-

ity to legalize illegal immigrants on his own?


Nationwide Survey: 1,008 Adults 8/7-10/14

7

Fox News poll: Obama Approval 42% approve/52% disapprove ◦ Immigration: 34% approve/58% disapprove◦ Handling of children on the border: 31% Approve/56% Disapprove◦ The economy: 40% approve/57% disapprove◦ Obama honest and trustworthy: 48% Yes/50% No

WSJ/NBC News Poll: Obama Approval 40% approve/54% disapprove

◦ Worst measure for handling an issue: Illegal children on the border: 11% satisfied/64% dissatisfied.

◦ 51% of Americans say illegal children on the border should be sent home because the U.S. does not have the resources to deal with them. 43% say some immigrants should stay.

Outside Polls Confirm Findings

FoxNews Poll: 7/20-22/14 1,057 RVs

WSJ/NBC Poll: 7/30-8/3/14 1,000 Adults


Immigration is front and center now, and people expect leaders to respond, not just react. Take your case directly to them. They are listening.

Americans want businesses to be held accountable on immigration practices: e-Verify is not enough; more serious and more fair hiring policy and job training for U.S. workers are popular.

Keep the focus on what you can be for – policies that protect unemployed and low-income American workers from competition with immigrants for jobs, compassion but common sense at the border, encouraging repatriation and poking businesses to hire Americans in need of work.

Fact and figures that inform and remind people of the literal costs of illegal immigration, from increased taxes to decreased economic opportunities subsume the heartstrings impulses. Emotional appeals are fine, but economic data should carry the day.

8

KEY FINDINGS



“Fairness” is a core governing value in this country, having replaced “equality” on a number of issues. On immigration, fairness should apply to everyone in the equation, not just the immigrants. What is fair to the economy? To blue-collar workers? Are employers doing all they can to be fair to Americans looking for an honest day’s wages for an honest day’s work?

The children-at-the-border-crisis has brought into sharp relief public opinion about immigration. Out of sight, out of mind is over.

There is strong consensus on many populist immigration policies that should find new audiences:◦ Strengthen enforcement of current immigration laws. ◦ Tighten access or eliminate public benefits to illegal immigrants – at least adults –

and improve enforcement of employment laws. ◦ Limit chain immigration for legal immigrants to immediate nuclear family (spouse

and minor children). ◦ Encourage/require businesses to hire American citizens and legal immigrants

already here first, offering training as necessary – especially in low or minimal skilled jobs.

9

KEY FINDINGS



Policies that encourage illegal immigrants to return home by not allowing them to hold a job or receive public benefits receives high agreement. Conservatives and Republicans can “own” this issue by focusing on these common sense solutions.

Turning on its head the cynical meme that immigrants do the jobs Americans won’t do would be a public relations coup. The idea that Americans should do – an should be preferred in trying to do – the jobs currently held by immigrants – enjoys broad public support. Five and a half weeks of children at the border, and five and a half years of the Obama economy has crystallized public sentiment. Leverage that.

10

KEY FINDINGS



The time appears ripe for a national immigration conversation. There is a new open-mindedness to populist approaches, regardless of partisan or ideological preferences.

◦ 75% want more enforcement of current immigration laws, including 63% of Hispanics and over 50% of Democrats

◦ A full 18%, and across racial lines, name immigration as the most important issue to their vote and another 39% put it among the top three.

◦ While President Obama is underwater in his job approval (57%-40%), an

even greater margin (two-thirds) of Americans disapprove of his handling of immigration. This includes one of his key constituencies, Hispanics, who disapprove of his job performance on immigration by 55% to 39%.

11

KEY FINDINGS



Neither Republicans or Democrats are viewed as doing a good job on immigration, a product of the parties’ lack of coherent immigration message. That also means that neither party currently “owns” the issue. The current combination of children-at-the-border-crisis and an increasingly weakened President Obama is awakening a sleeping giant on an issue long eclipsed by the economy and healthcare.

Those pessimistic about the U.S. employment outlook or have lower annual household incomes are more resistant to immigration and also more conservative in their approach to policies dealing with illegal immigrants.

Likely voters are more inclined to believe that immigrants take jobs from Americans rather than create jobs, and nearly 9 out of 10 believe that U.S.-born workers and legal immigrants already here should get first preference for jobs.

12

KEY FINDINGS



Over two-thirds of likely voters agree that we should limit access to illegal jobs and welfare benefits to encourage illegal immigrants to return to their home countries - including 64% of union members. Hispanics were split: 48% support and 46% of them oppose this solution.

Tolerance for adult foreign citizens who overstay their visas is almost nil – just under 80% of all respondents say they should not be allowed to stay.

There was strong agreement, including among all ideological and political party identifications, that chain migration needs to be limited to only spouses and minor children of legal immigrants. Even half of those who say we enforce our immigration laws “too much” agree that this policy should be limited.

13

KEY FINDINGS



Messaging on debt, unemployment, Obama and Obamacare will not be enough come November. This is not 2010. And that did not work everywhere in 2012. “Economy” means different things to voters (affordability, security) & immigration is viewed as part of the overall economic equation. ◦ 50% believe it’s unfair that we bring in one million immigrants who can

look for jobs while millions of Americans are having trouble finding work◦ Pessimism persists: 45% plurality believe that the unemployment

situation will get worse in the next few years◦ 77% believe U.S. born workers and legal immigrants already in the

country should be given preference for hiring and training over new legal immigrants (89% agree over illegal immigrants).

◦ 58% agree that there are plenty of Americans to do construction and service industry jobs, with no need for increased immigration to fill them.

◦ 80% believe businesses should be required to recruit and train more American workers from groups with high unemployment levels.

14

Immigration is an Issue Unto Itself AND as Part of Overall Economic Message



15

A Million Man March of Immigrants Annually Hardens Opinion among those already Concerned with Immigration

Most Important Issue Top 3 Issue Top 10 Issue Not Top 10 Issue

65%

48%

35%33%

6%8%

13% 14%

21%

36%40%

43%

Too High Too low About Right

Current federal policy allows about one million new legal immigrant workers and their dependents into the United States each year. In your opinion, is the level of legal immigration in to this country – roughly one million per year too

high, too low, or about right?



16

Libs/Dems Agree: U.S. Workers should be priority even over new legal immigrants

Total Liberal Moderate Conservative Democrat Independent

0.77

0.62

0.78

0.88

0.710.78

0.04 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.05 0.03

0.17

0.31

0.160.09

0.210.17

US-Born Additional Immigrants Do not know

As the economy creates new jobs, who should get preference: U.S.-born workers and legal immigrants already in the country, or additional immigrants who would

come to the United States legally?

Those in the Northeast want Americans to be the priority over the general population (86%-77%), while those making less than $40k agree. Nearly one quarter of those 18-34 are unsure of who should be the priority.



17

Respondents overwhelmingly agree that businesses should be required to try harder to recruit and train more American workers from groups with the highest unemployment levels, rather than allowing them to bring in more immigrant workers.

Consensus: Businesses Should Recruit and Train the Chronically Unemployed

Total Liberal Moderate Conservative Democrats Independents Republicans

0.80.76 0.78

0.850.79 0.8

0.84

0.10.16

0.120.07

0.13 0.110.08

Recruit jobless Americans Allow more immigrant workers



Three quarters of respondents believe that businesses should attract workers through higher wages, not recruiting from the immigration lines. This also represents an opportunity for a positive populist message that demonstrates a market-based solution to immigration and to raise workers’ pay apart from the minimum wage.

18

Higher Pay Rates, Not Immigration Rates

If U.S. businesses have trouble finding workers, what should happen?

Total Men Women Whites Blacks Hispanics Republicans Democrats Independents

They should raise wages and improve working conditions to attract Americans

75% 71% 78% 73% 86% 71% 74% 79% 74%

More immigrant workers should be allowed into the country to fill these jobs

8% 8% 8% 8% 3% 11% 6% 8% 8%


Nationwide Survey: 1,008 adults 8/7-10/14

19

Two-thirds Favor Limited Chain Migration over Extended Family Tree

Total

Libe

rals

Mod

erat

es

Conse

rvat

ives

Democ

rats

Inde

pend

ents

Repub

lican

s

0.65

0.49

0.67

0.75

0.56

0.69

0.76

0.23

0.39

0.23

0.14

0.34

0.21

0.13

Limited to only spouses and minor children

Should be limited to siblings, parents, and adult children, as well as spouses and minor children.

Do you think that chain migration should be limited to only spouses and minor children of legal immigrants or should be open to siblings, parents, and adult children, as well as spouses and mi-

nor children, of legal immigrants?



20

Three quarters of respondents want more enforcement of immigration laws in the United States, not buying the narrative of Obama’s high number of deportations. This includes 63% of Hispanics, 53% of liberals, 57% of Obama 2012 voters.

Gov’t Looks the Other Way on Immigration Enforcement; Voters Do Not

Total Democrats Independents Republicans

0.07 0.1 0.07 0.04

0.74

0.58

0.81

0.92

0.13

0.24

0.06 0.03

Too much Too little Just the right amount

How would you rate the government’s efforts to enforce immigra-tion laws in the United States? Would you say the government

has done too much, too little, or just the right amount to enforce immigration laws in this country?



21

Hispanics Agree: Americans Should Compete for the Jobs Illegals are Doing

81%

14%4%

Americans who need work ought to have an opportunity

to do the jobs that are cur-rently done by illegal immi-

grants.

Total Agree

Total Disagree

Do not know

Whites Blacks Hispanics

83%

73% 73%

12%

22% 21%

Total Agree Total Disagree



22

Even those wanting to give illegals citizenship, and those who think we enforce immigration laws “too much” believe that these jobs should go to American workers.

Critics of Rigid Immigration Enforcement Agree: Unemployed Should Compete for Jobs Now Held by Illegals

Too much Too little Right amount Return home Legal status Citizenship

67%

85%

72%

86%80%

61%

26%

11%

20%

10% 11%

33%

Total Agree Total Disagree

Americans who need work ought to have an opportunity to do the jobs that are currently done by illegal immigrants.



23

“As you know, there are many different ways in which illegal immigrants come to this country. I am going to read you a few different situation. For each, please tell me whether you think that group should or should not be allowed lifetime work permits and legal status in the United States.”

Americans don't think visa overstays should remain; those here illegally should return home, and if they want, get in line.

Immigration Scenarios Overview

Should be allowed Should not be allowed

Adult foreign citizens who came to the U.S. on vacations, as students or temporary workers, and stayed past the date of expiration on their visas.

18% 76%

Illegal immigrant children who have been sent alone by their parents.

27% 66%

Adult foreign citizens who crossed the U.S. border illegally.

15% 79%



a strong majority of respondents believe that sending these children back to their home countries...

Documents

legal immigrants

additional immigrants

nationwide survey

adults kellyanne conway

united states

illegal children

handling of children

obama approval