A Survey of Republican Primary Voter Attitudes in the United States

June 24-27, 2013

“The American Action Network is a 501(c)(4) ‘action tank’ dedicated to creating, encouraging and promoting center-right policies based on the principles of freedom, limited government, American exceptionalism, and strong national security. One of the Network’s current initiatives is supporting conservative solutions to immigration reform. The American Action Network believes our current immigration system is broken and the US Congress should offer conservative legislative solutions to address this critical national challenge. The Network commissioned the accompanying poll which demonstrates public support for that position.”

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Which of the following statements about a candidate’s position on immigration comes closest to your own –

● The immigration issue is so important to me that I will not vote for a candidate that I do not agree with on that issue even if I agree with them on most other issues. OR

● The immigration issue is important to me but I'll still vote for a candidate that I disagree with on that issue if I agree with them on most other issues.

Only vote for candidate I agree with

Would vote for candidate I disagree with

Neither

Unsure

38%

55%

2%

5%

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Have you seen, read, or heard anything in recent weeks about an immigration reform proposal currently being considered in Congress?

Yes No Unsure

76%

23%

1%

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Based on the things that you have seen, read, or heard, do you favor or oppose this proposal?

(If “Yes” in Q3, Asked of N=761 Respondents, or 76% of Sample)

Favor Unsure Oppose

24% 23%

53%

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Would you favor or oppose Congress passing a comprehensive immigration bill?

Favor Unsure Oppose

51%

23%26%

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Would you favor or oppose Congress passing an immigration reform proposal that provides an earned pathway to legal status – like a green

card, but does not provide full citizenship, for illegal immigrants currently living in the United States?

Favor Unsure Oppose

59%

9%

32%

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Would you favor or oppose Congress passing an immigration reform proposal that provides an earned pathway to citizenship for illegal

immigrants currently living in the United States?

Favor Unsure Oppose

49%

9%

42%

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Still thinking about the issue of immigration reform – I'd like to read you two viewpoints. Please tell me which one comes closest to your own.

System is broken Laws being ignored

32%

58%

Some people say that our immigration system is broken, and the status quo of having 11 million illegal immigrants living

under “de facto” amnesty will only continue if we do nothing to solve the

problem.

Other people say that our immigration laws today are being ignored by the Obama Administration. We should

enforce the laws we have before about talking about changing them or giving

anyone a path to legal status.

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Would you favor or oppose allowing undocumented immigrants the opportunity to earn legal status if they pass a criminal background check, pay a fine, pay

current and back taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line in the application process, and are not allowed to receive any taxpayer paid benefits?

Favor Unsure Oppose

80%

5%15%

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Still thinking about this immigration reform proposal – I'd like to read you two viewpoints. Please tell me which one comes closest to your own.

Giving amnesty Not amnesty

36%

58%

Some people say that regardless of the provisions of this proposal, the end result is that it would be giving amnesty to the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in

the United States illegally.

Other people say that the provisions of this proposal make it so this proposal is not amnesty because it would require

background checks, fines, paying back taxes, learning English, going to the back

of the line, and not being allowed to receive taxpayer paid benefits.

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Now, thinking about the immigration reform proposal that is currently being considered in Congress. I would like to read you a list of the different elements that are in this proposal. Please listen carefully as I read each element and tell

me if you would favor or oppose this.

Allows state and local law enforcement to investigate, identify, apprehend, arrest, and detain people in violation of immigration laws and to transfer them to federal immigration authorities.

Require employers to use E-Verify to make sure that all employees are legal, and require any company that employs illegal immigrants to pay a large fine.

Provide the resources necessary on the border to apprehend at least nine of out ten illegal crossers, put 100% of the border under surveillance, and have a system in place to track immigrants who enter and exit the country.

Grants states and localities full authority to create, implement, and enforce their own criminal and civil penalties for federal immigration violations so long as the penalties applied do not exceed those under federal law.

91%

89%

88%

83%

3%

2%

3%

6%

6%

8%

9%

11%

Favor Unsure Oppose

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Now, thinking about the immigration reform proposal that is currently being considered in Congress. I would like to read you a list of the different elements that are in this proposal. Please listen carefully as I read each element and tell

me if you would favor or oppose this.

By nearly doubling the number of border agents, the Border Patrol will have the capacity to deploy an armed agent, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to stand guard every 1,000 feet all the way from San Diego, California to Brownsville, Texas.

Young undocumented people who serve in the military and have no criminal record would be eligible for permanent resident status immediately at the conclusion of their term of military service.

Passing this immigration reform legislation would stop President Obama from being able to pick and choose what immigration laws he wants to enforce, like he does now.

Allocate a greater number of visas to foreigners who have earned a Master’s degree or higher in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or math.

80%

78%

75%

63%

5%

5%

8%

7%

14%

17%

17%

30%

Favor Unsure Oppose

June 24-27, 2013 / N=1,000 “likely” GOP Primary voters / ±3.1% M.O.E.

Still thinking about the immigration reform proposal I would like to read you several other elements that are also in this proposal. Please listen carefully as I

read each element and tell me if you would favor or oppose this.

Provide green cards to foreign students graduating from American universi-ties with advanced degrees so we stop educating the world’s best and

brightest and then send them back home to compete against us.

Giving businesses a substantial new guest worker program, starting at 20,000 visas in the first year and rising in steps to 75,000 new visas in the fourth

year. After that, the number of visas issued would rise or fall based on the unemployment rate...

Young undocumented people, under the age of fifteen, whose parents brought them to the U.S. illegally or overstayed their visa would be eligible

for permanent residence in five years.

59%

52%

47%

8%

14%

6%

33%

33%

47%

Favor Unsure Oppose