{"id":18789,"date":"2017-01-06T13:32:21","date_gmt":"2017-01-06T18:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/less-than-half-the-public-views-border-wall-as-an-important-goal-for-u-s-immigration-policy\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T03:43:59","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T08:43:59","slug":"less-than-half-the-public-views-border-wall-as-an-important-goal-for-u-s-immigration-policy","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2017\/01\/06\/less-than-half-the-public-views-border-wall-as-an-important-goal-for-u-s-immigration-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Less than half the public views border wall as an important goal for U.S. immigration policy"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, the public views one of his signature campaign promises \u2013 the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border \u2013 as a less important goal for immigration policy than several other objectives, such as cracking down on visa overstays.<\/p>\n\n

Asked about eight possible goals for U.S. immigration policy, majorities rate each one as important, except one: Only 39% view building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border as a very or somewhat important goal.<\/p>\n\n

Most Americans (58%) say it is important to increase the number of deportations of people in the U.S. illegally, another of Trump\u2019s campaign proposals that he has emphasized since winning the election<\/a>. The latest Pew Research Center estimate<\/a> puts the number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. at 11.1 million.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

The most widely supported goal for U.S. immigration policy is to establish stricter policies to prevent people from overstaying visas. Nearly eight-in-ten (77%) view this as an important goal, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Nov. 29-Dec. 12 among 4,138 adults on the nationally representative American Trends Panel.<\/p>\n\n

In fiscal year 2015, nearly 400,000 visitors to the U.S. overstayed their visas, according to a recent estimate by the Department of Homeland Security<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Among other immigration goals, 73% say it is important that those in the U.S. illegally do not get government benefits if they are not qualified to receive them, while 72% say it is important to allow people who came to the U.S. illegally as children to remain in the U.S. and apply for legal status<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

In addition, about six-in-ten (62%) say it is very or somewhat important to establish a way for most people here illegally to stay legally, while 61% say the same about taking in civilian refugees from countries where people are trying to escape violence and war.<\/p>\n\n

As deportations of undocumented immigrants have fallen in recent years<\/a>, 58% say that increasing the number of deportations is an important goal for U.S. immigration policy. An identical majority (58%) says it is important to encourage more highly skilled people from around the world to live and work in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n

There are partisan differences on each of these goals for U.S. immigration policy, but the widest by far is over building a southern border wall. Two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (67%) say construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border is an important goal for immigration policy, compared with just 16% of Democrats and Democratic leaners.<\/p>\n\n

While most Republicans regard a U.S.-Mexican border wall as an important goal, larger shares of Republicans see other goals for immigration policy as important: 93% say it is very or somewhat important to prevent immigrants in the U.S. illegally from receiving government benefits they are not qualified for; 90% say it is important to establish stricter policies to prevent visa overstays; and 81% see increased deportations of those in the U.S. illegally as important.<\/p>\n\n

Among Democrats, the most widely supported goals are allowing people who came to the U.S. illegally as children to remain and apply for legal status (82% say this is important); taking in refugees trying to escape violence (79%); and establishing a path to legal status for most immigrants in the U.S. illegally (76%).<\/p>\n\n

Despite the wide partisan differences on many of these goals, four of the eight proposals are viewed as important by majorities in both parties. For example, while 90% of Republicans say it is important to devise policies to prevent visa overstays, so too do 67% of Democrats.<\/p>\n\n

Note: See full topline results in a PDF<\/a>,\u00a0which was updated May 3 to include only questions related\u00a0to this post.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Only 39% of Americans view building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border as a very or somewhat important 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