UT/TT Poll: Texans Want Tough Immigration Laws
Texas voters are willing to end automatic citizenship for the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.
The poll also found them willing to crack down on immigration in a number of other ways — punishing employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, taking in-state tuition away from immigrants' children, opposing a path to citizenship for immigrants who are currently in the country illegally and cracking down on so-called sanctuary cities.
The poll revealed splits by political party but also a wide divide on some issues between voters of different races, illustrating ...
Comments (29)
Daniel M. Kowalski
The "margin of error" is closer to 100% because most of those polled have little grasp of the facts or the law. You're polling feelings, and feelings come and go.
BurningFeet
First we Texans are documented by the census to be a "majority minority" state. Now we get documentation that we are a "majority moran" state. We loves our Constitution, just not what's in it.
Karen Cummings
Why am I not surprised--look what Texans voted for in 2010. Are Texans really this uninformed? The power to regulate immigration is federal not state. All an immigration bill passed at the state level will do is cost tax payers money--big money.
http://theusconstitution.org/blog.history/?p=2604
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/01/26-0
Regarding the 14th Amendment. The power to determine/regulate citizenship is also federal, not state. Reasearch why and it doesn't just have to do with slaves. To end birthright citizenship would require a constitutional amendment BUT are you aware of the consequences of this?
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2010/03/the-folly-of-repealing-birthright-citizenship.html
http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/ending-birthright-citizenship-would-not-stop-illegal-immigration/4003/
http://www.texastribune.org/immigration-in-texas/immigration/repeal-birthright-citizenship--and-then-what/
Brent Connett
While immigration law is chiefly a federal responsibility, illegal immigration forces crimes and other costs on Texas. Because the federal government has failed to act, Texas must. Maintaining public safety is a core, constitutional role of government. Texas' border with Mexico presents law enforcement challenges that we must rise to meet, especially in light of escalating drug and gang violence in Mexico. At minimum, there are two policy priorities to limit the fiscal and social costs of illegal immigration, and to protect the public: ending sanctuary cities, and the continuation of state appropriations for border security. Governor Perry recognizes the importance of these issues; he has fast-tracked legislation to end sanctuary cities. State Senator Tommy Williams and State Representative Burt Solomons have filed bills to end sanctuary cities, as have other state legislators.
BurningFeet
Would somebody please tell me where these mysterious SANCTUARY CITIES are? Are there really heaving, huddled masses of horrendous, hideous, brown people hiding in Hico? It is Hico, isn't it. Ever since that Billy the Kid thing went bust, they've gone into the SANCTUARY CITY bidness. I can tell because I have been to Hico, and I can't find any reason to go back, much less figure out what the locals are up to in the first place. high-ko.
No? Dalworthington Gardens is hidin' 'em! What the heck is a city doing in a city, anyway? Or Luling? Is it Luling? No money in thumpin'? Tell me NOW! I needs protection! From Something!
We must STAND STRONG against NON EXISTENT threats or we will be OVERWHELMED! (Should I use more caps?)
C Baker
Some can't face the truth...Texans have had enough with illegal immigration...and they're Very informed people. As per this poll,Texans are a cross section of people who want our immigration laws enforced, regardless of what the violators want or those who Profit from hiring or defending them want.....
Carmen Benavides
Constitution, Article IV, Section 4: " The United States of America shall guarantee to every State in this Union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion."
One needs to have lived under a rock all these years, not to know that the U.S. is undergoing a massive invasion mainly from south of our border. Moreover, anybody with two brain cells to rub together knows that the U.S. Government has no desire to fulfill it's obligation to enforce our immigration laws. It is obvious that enforcing immigration laws has fallen on all fifty states.
To add insult to injury, the U.S. Department of Justice has the gall to sue the state of Arizona for enforcing immigration laws!
Bank robbing and kidnapping are federal offenses, but local authorities are expect to and they do enforce the laws against these crimes. They don't sit on their hands waiting for the FBI to show up.
It is time for all fifty states to sue the DOJ for dereliction of duty.
Karen Cummings
Hmmm, who is cutting the budget for immigration enforcement/border security?
House Republicans Trim Border Security Budget, Despite Calls for More Resources
Democrats Accuse GOP of Hypocrisy Over Budget Cuts, 'Secure the Border' Claims
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-republicans-trim-border-security-budget-calls-resources/story?id=12965031
Guess who refuses to pass immigration reform?
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_05/023662.php
THE TRAJECTORY OF THE GOP AND IMMIGRATION REFORM.... Ron Brownstein has an interesting item this week, noting a detail about immigration policy that's easily overlooked: up until quite recently, support for reform was fairly bipartisan.
One minute the GOP is claiming that Obama has not enforced immigration laws and the next minute they are yelling DEFICITS/STOP SPENDING. It is going to take money to enforce the border and border enforcement alone will not solve our immigration problems.
If the states must pass immigration reform, why not pass a smart one like this:
Utah’s Alternative To AZ Copycat Bill Would Generate Over $30 Million
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2011/02/17/utah-immigration-bill-robles/
Obama has enforced immigration.
Deportation of illegal immigrants reaches record high
February 1, 2011
http://www.scottimmigration.net/content/deportation-illegal-immigrants-reaches-record-high
Karen Cummings
Here is a blog with a wealth of immigration laws by an immigration lawyer. Take the time to educate yourself regarding immigration laws. Don't buy into the lies. You have to understand and know what the problem is before you can fix the problem.
http://www.seattleimmigrationlawyerblog.com/2010/09/anchor-babies-and-the-14th-ame.html
Anchor Babies and the 14th Amendment - Immigration Myths Part I
Why Don't They Just Come Legally? Myths - Part II
http://www.seattleimmigrationlawyerblog.com/2011/01/why-dont-they-just-come-legall.html
Mary Lynn VanZandt Neill via Texas Tribune on Facebook
YES...and it includes all illegal immigrants. All.
PicklesS
Quit flusing your money down the toilet on bogus internet polls. They aren't worth a dime.
C Baker
Carmen, Your's is one of the best comments regarding Illegal Immigration I've ever read.....You are exactly right, this is a massive invasion....
BurningFeet
The Invaders, alien beings from a dying planet. Their destination: the Earth. Their purpose: to make it their world. David Vincent has seen them. For him, it began one lost night on a lonely country road, looking for a shortcut that he never found. It began with a closed deserted diner, and a man too long without sleep to continue his journey. It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy. Now David Vincent knows that the Invaders are here, that they have taken human form. Somehow he must convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already begun
Brittanicus
States should are striving to set-up their own immigration laws, now when it became more discernible that the Federal government is living up to its own policies or completing the border fence amongst other things. Arizona was the first to distinguish this as their great State was first to be overrun by non-English speaking aliens, scrambling for support from Public services. In Contrast is the Sanctuary State of California; the Grand Canyon State never had the financial resources to honor the unfunded federal mandates. Foreign nationals slipped through the border bringing their unborn babies with them, to become a major burden on frontier States, because the courts had said we must monetary pander to anybody who steps on our soil. That's why the Border States schools are heavily populated with the offspring of illegal aliens, relieving their own countries from educating them; bringing even more poverty to America.
In border States and throughout the country, almost unfunded mandated laws that emergency rooms must give health treatment to anybody who walks through the doors regardless whether they can pay or not; over 60 hospitals and clinics closed their doors, because of insufficient funds to cover the enormous costs in California and Nevada. Judges in the last decade have warned the California prison system that they need to alleviate overcrowding, which is full of illegal alien gangs and some of the most dangerous criminals spawned from the Hispanic countries. Southwestern States have been crippled by the unparalleled migration costing legal citizens and permanent residents hundreds of billions of dollars every year. The new arrivals are nothing like 20th century immigrants coming through Ellis Island, NY or Galveston, Texas as no Social Services existed back then.
Today--impoverished illegal aliens are gutting the welfare system; bringing record numbers of deadly criminals and terrorist from further afield. Business interests in many States have brought politicians, so the border still remains open to some extent, as with silent corruption of underfunding the 2006 Secure Fencing Act within months of being enacted. Keeping the border open and over-stretching the limited resources of US agents patrol ling this war zone is an incessant nightmare. Continually harassed by rock throwing thugs or as now guns aimed at these relentless border protectors; have now been overrun by drug cartels that kill without conscience. The border region once a place of desolate enjoyment, with the sound of high winging birds is now no place for American environmentalist, as large areas of territory are covered with the remnants of human waste, the dregs left by illegal nationals slipping through barriers in some places; barricaded with just a few strands of rusty barbed wire or in locations where no fence exists.
There is no quick fix to this silent invasion that has taken at least two decades, to bring millions of foreigners across our borders or arriving by jet with no intentions of returning to Europe, Asia other continents. Now we must go the distance by joining the TEA Party. We can hold both the Democrats-Liberals and Republicans accountable for the years of abandonment, spending taxpayers money on millions of foreign nationals instead of our infrastructure and the well being of real Americans of every color, race or religion. Arizona's political leadership finally had devoured enough rhetoric from the powers in Washington, stating that the destitute, uneducated was for the greater good of each States economies; except that illegal aliens was just eroding the safety-net and prospective retirement for senior Americans.
Finally, one decent State not mired in political regression or union interference, who have quietly been catering to illegal immigrants in their midst, so to fortify their dwindling numbers have large numbers in their membership. Assessed their rising financial damage Arizona State Senator Pierce and his Republican retinue authored their own immigration laws, as the federal government just refused to do so. Now undaunted by being sued by Obama's Department of Justice Czar in the Washington, has shown other States that the DOJ is a lost cause. He is like a mentor for all States who like so many less aggressive. As the political statesman in Washington mull over their own paramount issues, like funding two foreign wars and their satellite military bases, along monolithic spending to satisfy the industrial base and bailout financial institutions. Less qualified to handle large flows of illegal immigrants, have tested their leadership by enacting its own enforcement laws, such as Utah, Georgia and many other States in far corners of the US. Those States that remains indifferent to The People's need for relief from supporting illegal foreign families, will be doomed to higher taxes, spiraling crime and the attenuate of their states treasuries. Every State that wants to defend and protect its legal inhabitants needs to mandate nationwide policing laws E-Verify, 287 (G) and Secure Communities to safeguard America's people.
NO copyright, ever. Distribute freely.
C Baker
Invaders from the stone age..whose worlds are dying due to their own self destruction....Mr. Burning Feet
John McCoy
This why the rest of the country thinks we are a bunch of rednecks. For that matter, we are a bunch of rednecks. The results of this poll are embarrassing, and I question instrument used to get the answers. Shame on us.
BurningFeet
Yes, Ma'am, Ms. C. Baker. They were imaginary invaders, seen only on TeeVee and in the fevered imaginations of true believers huddled in their fallout shelters, awaiting the Golden Profit to speak revelation at four.
C Baker
Since these invaders aren't imaginary Mr. Burnng Feet, maybe you should just put your head back in the hole and the invasion you don't want to see will just go away....Or just stop watching those sci-fi movies, it's effected your brain....
BurningFeet
Ms. C Baker,
I know they're real. I've seen them gathering in huge numbers, early mornings, at so called "Christian" Churches, on Sundays! Rumor has it they drink the blood of their God and eat his body like a po'boy sandwich each and every week. They drive the alien transport vehicle that our spotters have yet to identify, other than the cryptic numerals, "F-150", with a single blue star pennant at attached to each window. What could these alien symbols mean? I know what it means! We are under siege, comrade!
I have even been forced to eat their alien foodstuffs, but only in the privacy of my minivan, away from the drive-thru. Rumor has it they are also paying the hated "Payroll Tax", something no good American would ever do. Has your neighborhood been spared or are you too suffering the effects of this invasion? Stay safe!
Karen Cummings
This article is spot on regarding immigration.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/20/us-mexico-border-fence-immigration
The border fence is a joke. Enforcement only will not solve our immigration problems. We need comprehensive, common sense immigration reform.
If you would take the time to read and understand our immigration laws, you would understand why.
Arizona is a ticking bomb that will go off any day. Texas does not need to follow Arizona's path of passing unconstitutional laws that will only cost the taxpayers money.
BurningFeet
Britanicus,
" Today--impoverished illegal aliens are gutting the welfare system;"
Republicans/Teabaggers are NOT "illegal aliens". As for impoverished? Ha!
C Baker
The border fence is workng....20' high concrete slab walls set on top of raised burms which raise them up to 30' in many areas...Arizona is protecting it's own citizens and Texas is doing the same. Texans are sayng-No more meal tickets wilh anchor babies.....No more voting with my grandmother's name or stealing her SS#.....No more stealing jobs from citizens....no more stealing in-state tuition from citizens and to those who are profiting from hiring them, better figure out a way to operate without illegal aliens because the wrath is coming your way too...
Karen Cummings
No, the border fence is not working--you need to read the article I provided. The border fence is a money pit and a GOP talking point/distraction. Undocumented aliens do not qualify for welfare or food stamps.
http://www.factcheck.org/2010/05/a-mythical-florida-mom-and-other-false-claims-about-immigrants/
They are not "stealing" anything.
Better read the bill; some are exempt. ROTFL. Hypocrisy much?
C Baker
The border fence is reality and in Real Time not at the end of some virtual link on the internet...It is working very well...get in your car and go see for yourself instead of looking at pictures on your websites... It funnels invaders into areas more managable by Border Control.
Securing our borders is THE most important thing our U.S. Citizens can do to control illegal immigration into the U.S..
BurningFeet
This from Fox News, no less:
Published January 14, 2011
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Friday that she has canceled the troubled virtual fence project along the southwest border, proposing a new plan which she claims will better address each region's border security needs.
The decision comes a year after the secretary ordered a review of the project, which was hampered by delays and technological glitches, and froze its funding. The original plan, known as SBInet, envisioned a system of cameras and sensors which would allow officers to monitor crossings and dispatch Border Patrol agents to catch anyone entering the United States illegally.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/14/napolitano-cancels-virtual-border-fence-project-proposes-alternative/#ixzz1F6UFA0ur
So, Miss MeMe, what is it exactly you got in your car and drove to see? (Odd how you are so frightened if you think it is there.) Maybe what you saw that night were aliens at a deserted diner? Were they passing out social security numbers so they could steal food stamps, go on welfare, steal all our jobs and then go vote? What an ambitious bunch of lazy no gooders. Hey, is that how we've gotten stuck with Perry all these years? That's one more thing you can blame on them.
C Baker
You really don't have a clue what's on our Texas border do you? Ahh ignorance is bliss......LOL
voteforamerica
LATINOS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TEAPARTYOFTX@GMAIL.COM
April 17th, 2011
Fellow Americans, Obama and the Democrats are working in secret, to pass the Dream act by Executive order, this is President's Obama tool for quick enactment of the Dream Act.
An Executive order, is an order issue by The President as head of the executive branch of the Federal Government, but this push for amnesty to illegal aliens by executive order, deviates from the congressional intent and exceeds the President's constitutional powers. Article I, Section 1 of the US Constitution specifically reserves all federal legislative authority to Congress, not the president. No President should use executive orders as a way to make policy without consulting the Congress. Obama think that he can do whatever he wants and trash our Constitution. Congress, must stop Obama from take- over the Congressional powers, we have a Constitution and no president should have the power to act unilaterally to void the laws of the United States, Obama took an oath to defend the Constitution , but what he is doing is to trash our Constitution and our laws. This president order the Dept. of Home land Security not to enforce our immigration laws, he refused to secure our borders, he order Erick Holder to sued The State of Arizona, for enforcing the immigration laws and protect the people of Arizona, 2,158 Americans are being kill in our country every year by illegal aliens, our jobs are taken by illegal aliens, 30 Billion Dollars per year are send out of the United States by illegal aliens and our Government is helping them to destroy our local economics. Fellow Americans, Obama and the pro-amnesty Washington politicians, “LA RAZA, MALDEF, MECHA,LULA, THE HISPANIC CAUCUS AND THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP" are a threat to our country. Promoting or stand for any immigration reform or amnesty is to void the rule of law, our Constitution and our sovereignty. Their hungry for political power blind them to the point of treason and betray their own country. Fellow Americans we are the heart of America, we can not let this happen, we are the believers of our Constitution, the rule of law and our sovereignty; what we see today is the result of the amnesty of 1986, President Reagan and congress give amnesty to 3.5 millions illegal aliens and promised to the American people that this will never be done again. The amnesty of 1986 promoted this invasion of illegal aliens, now we have more than 12 million illegal aliens, and Obama refused to enforce our immigration laws and is planning behind our backs with Democrats Senators to give amnesty to the illegal aliens; this is plain and simple treason and he must be impeach by congress.
Fellow tea party members, we got a job to do, the following is the list of senators that voted in support the Dream act and amnesty to illegal aliens. They are up for re-election in 2012, we declared war on the corrupt Washington politicians and our job is to retire the busters from the political arena.
Here is the list of our target. Senators that supported the Dream act, that are up for re-election in 2012.
SENATOR-STATE-PARTY SENATOR-STATE- PARTY
Bingaman NM Dem Feinstein Cal Dem
Nelson FL Dem Gillibrand NY Dem
Menendez NJ Dem Lieberman CT Ind
Whitehouse RI Dem Cantwell WA Dem
Akaka HI Dem Cardin MD Dem
Carper DE Dem Webb VA Dem
Lugar IN Rep Kohl WI Dem
Casey PA Dem Klobuchar MN Dem
Stabenow MI Dem McCaskill MO Dem
Brown OH Dem Conrad ND Dem
Sanders VT Ind
Obama Ill Dem- Traitor, pathological liar- no values-no principles- whore that sell out to special interest and the IMF- The World Bank- The US Reserve Bank and the WTO. We Latinos will work to get the traitors out of Washington. We ask you to get inform and vote out of office the politicians that fail to vote for what is best for all Americans including Blacks and Latinos. Any immigration reform it is not good for the American people and in violation of our laws and constitution.
http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.ht nd-money-home.html http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/immigrants-se http ://www.cairco.org/econ/econ.html http://biggovernment.com/awrhawkins/2011/04/12/while-governor-jan-brewer-fights-to-keep-arizona-safe-president-obama-fights-against-arizona/
Francisco Canales teapartyoftx@gmail.com
David Spratt
I agree people are answering the polls with emotion. How can you be in favor of Border enforcement and not be in favor of restricting benefits for Illegals. You are saying I want enforcement, but, if they can make it here I will educate their children, give them medical care, they can work, ect ect. it only shows how uninformed people are about the overall effects. One issue impacts another and they are all related and tied together. You cannot take one position here and another there. Either you enforce the law, hold them accountable or not,, simple. It is a matter of law and practical application, emotion should not be a part of it. Emotional people are the ones being racist on the one hand ,, and the ones hollering racist on the other. Join ,,,NumbersUSA,, Help make a difference. No racism,, no immigrant bashing,,, just plain truth and facts that can be verified.
Carmen Benavides
Thumbs up to sdprtt for his/her comment. Right on target. All we need to do to solve the illegal immigration problem is to enforce immigration laws already in existence, inland as well as at the border.
About another blogger, Francisco Canales who speaks for Latinos for Economic Development, I will go on to say that he and millions of loyal, law abiding Americans of Hispanic heritage are testimony against the myth that all Hispanics/Latinos are in favor of the Mexican invasion of our country.
For anybody who wants to say that it is not only Mexicans who are invading our country, i will say that while that is true, Mexican citizens illegally in the U.S. make up 75 per cent of ALL illegal aliens, according to a report by the Center for Immigration Studies, Washington, DC. Moreover, the Mexican government is suing Arizona for passing its immigration enforcement law. Mexico is the only country that dares to interfered with our internal affairs and how we run our country, while at the same time tells us to mind our own business when it comes to its internal affairs and foreign policy toward us.
Once and for all, illegal immigration is not an ethnic nor a racial issue. It is a political issue. It is a matter of one country invading it's sovereign neighbor nation.
While I put a lot of blame on the Mexican government, I put ALL the blame on our greedy U.S. merchants and their lackeys, the corrupt politicians who want this taxpayer subsidized illegal alien labor in our country.