Poll: Only 30 Percent Believe H-1B Workers Are Needed

A minority of registered voters believe the foreign guest worker H-1B visa program is necessary, according to a new poll by POLITICO and Morning Consult.

The poll found that only 30 percent of Americans say the H-1B visa program allows foreign workers to fill jobs that American workers are not able to perform. Some 44 percent said those foreign workers take jobs away from Americans.

The vast majority of Americans also said the number of H-1B visas allotted every year to companies should either be decreased, 22 percent, or kept at the current levels, 38 percent. Only 23 percent of Americans said the number of H-1B visas given out should be raised.

Americans are split on the issue of the overall impact of legal immigrants on the U.S. A total of 43 percent of Americans say immigrants “strengthen” the country, while 43 percent said they are a “burden” because of their presumed strain on social services like health care and housing.

A plurality of Americans said they disagreed with increasing the levels of low-skilled immigrants entering the U.S., which currently make up the majority of legal immigrants, with 20 percent saying they somewhat disagree and 27 percent saying they strongly disagree.

When it comes to who should handle the immigration issue, Americans are far more likely to trust Republicans in Congress, rather than Democrats.

A majority of 45 percent of Americans said Republicans should handle immigration, and only 36 percent said they trusted Democrats to handle the issue.

On what to do with illegal immigrants already in the U.S., Americans remain split. Some 38 percent said illegal immigrants must return home to their native lands. Another 7 percent of Americans said illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S., but should never be allowed citizenship.

Forty-six percent said illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S. and eventually apply for citizenship.

John Binder is a contributor for Breitbart Texas. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.