Saturday, October 25, 2008

Arkansans Favor Legalizing Immigrants

Here is another state (and a southern one) where the residents say illegal immigrants should be able to stay and become citizens, if they qualify. This is a good sign. DP

By Dan Craft, THE MORNING NEWS

nwaonline.com: FAYETTEVILLE — More than half of Arkansans say illegal immigrants should be allowed to become U.S. citizens, according to the Arkansas Poll.

Undocumented immigrants should be allowed citizenship if the meet certain criteria such as learning English and paying back taxes, said 59 percent of those surveyed.

Another 26 percent said all illegal immigrants should be deported, while 10 percent said they should be allowed to work in the U.S. on a temporary basis. Only 2 percent supported allowing them citizenship without some requirements.

Immigration was cited as the most important issue facing the state by only 7 percent of participants statewide, but in the 3rd Congressional District, that increased to 13 percent.

The poll interviewed 1,628 adult Arkansans via telephone between Oct. 1 and Oct. 21. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percent on most questions. The 2008 Arkansas Poll is sponsored by the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. The poll was designed and analyzed by political scientists Janine Parry and Bill Schreckhise.

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