The American public is sharply split over whether illegal immigrants should receive in-state tuition for college, a new poll shows.
Slightly less than half of those surveyed -- 48 percent -- say illegal immigrants who graduated from a high school in their state should be eligible for reduced in-state tuition, while 46 percent disagree, according to a Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey.
Overall, 61 percent of Republicans say illegal immigrants should not qualify, while 34 percent support the policy. But the Republican Party is also internally divided on the issue, the poll shows.
Younger members under 30 are split exactly, 48 percent to 48 percent, on whether illegal immigrants should be eligible for in-state tuition, while two-thirds of Republicans 65 and older say illegal immigrants should not be allowed to pay that rate. The pay scale also impacts Republicans' view: 53 percent of those whose families make $30,000 or less say they support eligibility, while just 27 percent of those earning $75,000 or more share the same view.
And among Republicans who align themselves with the tea party, a whopping 74 percent say illegal immigrants should not get in-state tuition. Fewer Republicans who don't side with tea partiers oppose it -- just 52 percent are not in favor of in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants.
Across the aisle, Democrats say 59 percent to 36 percent that illegal immigrants should be eligible. And Democrats broadly favor the policy across racial lines: 82 percent of Hispanics, 65 percent of blacks and 51 percent of whites think illegal immigrants should be eligible. According to age, two-thirds of Democrats under 30 support it, as do 54 percent of those 50 and older, the survey showed.
In terms of illegal immigration policy, 43 percent of Americans say the government should be focused on both better border security and stronger enforcement and making a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the U.S. Just 29 percent said the sole emphasis should be on border security, and only 24 percent argued that a pathway to citizenship should be the priority for illegal immigration policy.
Pew conducted the survey Nov. 9-14 and polled 2,001 adults.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70023.html#ixzz1fu7G2aMU
Slightly less than half of those surveyed -- 48 percent -- say illegal immigrants who graduated from a high school in their state should be eligible for reduced in-state tuition, while 46 percent disagree, according to a Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey.
Overall, 61 percent of Republicans say illegal immigrants should not qualify, while 34 percent support the policy. But the Republican Party is also internally divided on the issue, the poll shows.
Younger members under 30 are split exactly, 48 percent to 48 percent, on whether illegal immigrants should be eligible for in-state tuition, while two-thirds of Republicans 65 and older say illegal immigrants should not be allowed to pay that rate. The pay scale also impacts Republicans' view: 53 percent of those whose families make $30,000 or less say they support eligibility, while just 27 percent of those earning $75,000 or more share the same view.
And among Republicans who align themselves with the tea party, a whopping 74 percent say illegal immigrants should not get in-state tuition. Fewer Republicans who don't side with tea partiers oppose it -- just 52 percent are not in favor of in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants.
Across the aisle, Democrats say 59 percent to 36 percent that illegal immigrants should be eligible. And Democrats broadly favor the policy across racial lines: 82 percent of Hispanics, 65 percent of blacks and 51 percent of whites think illegal immigrants should be eligible. According to age, two-thirds of Democrats under 30 support it, as do 54 percent of those 50 and older, the survey showed.
In terms of illegal immigration policy, 43 percent of Americans say the government should be focused on both better border security and stronger enforcement and making a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the U.S. Just 29 percent said the sole emphasis should be on border security, and only 24 percent argued that a pathway to citizenship should be the priority for illegal immigration policy.
Pew conducted the survey Nov. 9-14 and polled 2,001 adults.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70023.html#ixzz1fu7G2aMU