Poll: Americans, Immigrants Back Donald Trump’s Immigration Vetting Policy By More Than 2 to 1

Americans and immigrants support Donald Trump’s calls for the ideological vetting of would-be immigrants by more than two-to-one, according to a new poll from Morning Consult.

That’s bad news for Hillary Clinton and her allied progressives, who are trying to persuade swing-voters that Trump’s policy for immigrants are extreme and bigoted.

The “strong” numbers are especially important, because they suggest how many people will make up their mind based on that issue. That’s to Trump’s advantages, because his “strong” numbers are 38 percent support to 15 percent strong opposition.

Among actual immigrants, his strong numbers are above two-to-one — or 31 percent strong support to 12 percent strong opposition.

So he’s got 61 strong or “somewhat” support from actual immigrants, compared to just 29 percent strong and somewhat opposition. That’s two-to-one support, which allows Trump to claim that his policies are supported by a consensus of recent immigrants. Ten percent declined to comment.

Trump outlined his call for vetting of immigrants on Aug. 15, amid growing concern over jihad attacks by Islamic migrants.  “To put these new procedures in place, we will have to temporarily suspend immigration from some of the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism … I will ask the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to identify a list of regions where adequate screening cannot take place. We will stop processing visas from those areas until such time as it is deemed safe to resume based on new circumstances or new procedures.”

“Immigration officers will also have their powers restored: those who are guests in our country that are preaching hate will be asked to return home,” he said.

If enacted, Trump’s policies would expand existing rules which require would-be immigrants to disavow links to terrorist groups, the Nazi Party of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Trump’s popular proposal caused shock among progressives. “Donald Trump Proposes Ideological Test For Entry To The United States,” declared The Huffington Post. “Trump’s Ideological Vetting Plan Would Banish Most Republicans,” said a Muslim writer at The Daily Beast.

The poll was conducted from August 16-17 and consisted of 2,001 registered voters. Read the full survey here.