Fewer Texans see immigration as helping the U.S., poll finds

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Compared to 2017, more Texans see immigration as harmful and want undocumented immigrants deported, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Texas Lyceum.

Immigration was the top issue facing Texas, survey respondents said — though they reported mixed views on specific impacts. Rising prices and border security were a close second and third, according to the Lyceum’s annual poll, which collected responses from 1,200 adults in the Lone Star State, about 69% of them registered voters. The Texas Lyceum is a nonpartisan leadership training group and forum for civil discourse.

Frank Ward, chair of this year’s Lyceum poll, said Texans’ focus on immigration tied back to their concerns about the economy.

“Texans care deeply about how the economy is affecting their families and their futures,” he said in a statement. “And while it is clear that immigration and border security concerns remain at the forefront for many Texans, those policy matters are also being seen through the lens of the economic impact.”

Texans were evenly split, at 32% each, on whether immigration helps the United States more than it hurts, or hurts more than it helps. Another 30% said it was a little bit of both.

Those views have shifted sharply since 2017, when 62% of respondents said immigration helps more than it hurts. Twenty-seven percent said it hurts more than it helps that year, and just 6% said a little bit of both

This year, a significantly higher portion of people, 68%, said they believed President Trump would deport undocumented immigrants compared to 2017, when 50% said that would happen, according to the poll. In the poll, 44% said they want him to do so — up from 31% in 2017.

And while 29% of those who responded said they were extremely concerned with illegal immigration, 63% also said they believed undocumented immigrants fill jobs American citizens don’t want.

Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Lyceum poll, said: “Ten years ago, someone could say America is a nation of immigrants, and that wouldn't be a controversial statement. That was one of the narratives that was pretty common. I think that narrative shifted … Why that might be, we can't know specifically from one survey question, but I think what's clear is that the object that people are thinking about when they're thinking about immigration has shifted … a little bit more toward undocumented immigration.”

Texans’ policy perspectives didn’t all shift conservatively, however.

When the Lyceum asked how strongly people supported religious displays in government offices, 41% said they strongly supported it, a drop from 60% in 2007.

And support for the death penalty dropped to 37% from 49% in 2007.

When it comes to personal finances, meanwhile, 41% of respondents said they were worse off than a year ago, and another 36% said their situation was the same. Just 23% said they were better off.

The Lyceum also polled people on how well they felt they were being represented: 55% approved of Gov. Greg Abbott’s job performance, up from 49% last year. Both Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton — who is running for a U.S. Senate seat — earned 42% approval, while 46% of Texans polls approved of how well of a job the state legislature is doing.

The poll was conducted from March 28 to April 4, via phone and the internet. The overall margin of error was 3 percentage points.

And while Texans were split on many issues, there were at least a couple of statements that drew a majority of support: 69% said it’s possible to disagree about politics respectfully. And 68% said they would rather see their political leaders compromise and find middle ground on key issues, rather than stand their ground.

Disclosure: Texas Lyceum has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Frank Ward is a financial supporter and Tribune board member. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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