Poll: 71%, Including Majority of Dems, Say No Government Benefits for Illegal Newcomers

An overwhelming majority of likely voters, including a majority of Democrats, believe illegal immigrants from Central America should not be eligible for taxpayer-funded government benefits, according to a new poll. 

A Rasmussen Reports poll found that 71% “say these illegal newcomers should not be eligible for government services and benefits.” Only 16% think “they are entitled to government aid” while 13% are undecided. Even a majority of Democrats (51%) “do not think illegal immigrants should be eligible for government services and benefits” in addition to “91% of Republicans and 75% of unaffiliated voters.”

A strong majority (68%) also “say the new illegal immigrants should not have the same legal rights and protections that U.S. citizens have,” and that includes a plurality–and a near-majority–of Democrats (49%). The poll found that “89% of GOP voters and 70% of unaffiliateds think illegals should not have the same legal rights and protections that U.S. citizens have.”

There have been nearly 66,500 illegal immigrant juveniles who have been detained at the U.S.-Mexico border since October of last year and the number of apprehensions spiked after President Barack Obama enacted his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012. Obama, who is set to enact another executive amnesty after the midterm elections, delayed it to help Senate Democrats keep the Senate. The poll, consistent with others, found a strong majority (67%) are opposed to executive amnesty, including the potential granting of work permits for illegal immigrants, and think such actions will only entice more illegal immigrants to come to America. 

The poll, which was conducted September 29-30 and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points, found that 63% of voters “think the availability of government money and services draws illegal immigrants to the United States.”