Last week a new poll by impreMedia and Latino Decisions was released showing that immigration still ranks high as an issue for Latino registered voters. Some key results from this latest poll include:
- 51% of Latino voters consider immigration to be the most important issue facing the Latino community,
- Absent Congress passing immigration reform, 66% would support an executive order to halt the deportation of DREAM eligible youth (including 54% of Latino GOPers polled support this as well),
- 62% oppose additional border security and devoting more resources to deportations,
- and 56% oppose laws requiring state or local police to ask about immigration policies.
My sense it that immigration registers more as a key issue in the post-SB 1070 and post-DREAM Act defeat environment. While jobs and the economy are still important, when 53% of Latino voters polled know of someone who is undocumented, the need to do something for these community members becomes personalized.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle can use this data to examine opportunities to deliver. Activists and Hispanic Caucus members have been ramping up calls for the President to halt deportations of DREAM eligible youth and to reconsider the controversial Secure Communities program. Should the immigration policies continue to be implemented as is without any relief and additional states implement more SB 1070 style laws, the President could lose additional Latino enthusiasm (support), which could be problematic in the swing states. While the GOP seems less inclined to pick up the immigration reform torch, issue avoidance will not help their outreach efforts into the Latino community despite the party’s ability to find high profile Latino candidates.
As a Latino political consultant, I would like to comment on the findings of the poll you refer as having Immigration as Latinos key issue. I wonder how is it that this poll contradicts the big boys in the block such as Pew Hispanic or Rasmussen. “Latino Decisions” lists the SEIU as one of their clients among many other Democratic leanning organizations. Furthermore, they are yet proven to have accuracy in their polls as they have not publicated any reports of their numbers matching a National election.
Now I certainly believe that immigration weighs heavy on all Latino voters, yet as our economy is in a Funk and house prices are free falling I assure you that those family perils will weigh more heavily that the Immigration issues.
In 2010 Democrats used the anger of Arizona’s Anti-immigration laws and Millions of Dollars from Union coffers to propel voters to the polls, and reached their objectives in key races. I have no doubt that they are hoping once again to duplicate the same scenario.