WASHINGTON, D.C. — A majority of Republicans agree that undocumented immigrants should have a path forward, despite some Republican presidential candidates’ continued anti-immigrant rhetoric, according to a study released today.
The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) study found that 52 percent of Republicans support the opportunity for undocumented immigrants to earn citizenship if they meet certain requirements, a level of support that has remained constant over the past
What’s more, 63 percent of Republicans under 30 said they supported the opportunity to earn citizenship, and 51 percent say immigrants make the country stronger.
“Many younger Republicans have grown up in a much more diverse world,” Robert P. Jones, chief executive of PRRI, told the New York Times. “A really hard line on immigration has the potential not just to fall flat but to push off younger Republicans.”
Overall, 62 percent of respondents support the opportunity for undocumented immigrants to meet certain requirements and earn citizenship, and another 15 percent said such immigrants should have a way to earn permanent legal status.
“These findings stand in sharp contrast to calls for walls and mass deportation,” said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. “Republican leaders have a real opportunity to offer conservative solutions on immigration rather than create deeper fractures in
