Most U.S. voters support a bill backed by President Trump that would mandate a merit system for immigrants, according to a Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday.
An Aug. 3-6 survey found 61 percent of registered voters “strongly” and “somewhat” support the Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy Act’s proposal for a points-based system that awards green cards based on applicants’ education, English language ability and their likelihood of getting a job, and just 27 percent opposed it.
The bill as a whole was backed by 44 percent of voters and opposed by 31 percent. However, a number of provisions in the revised bill by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia received majority support.
A person’s ability to speak and write in English was viewed by 62 percent of people as a good way to help determine who can immigrate. Another 54 percent want professional or academic achievements to be a factor in who gets permanent status, and 59 percent support the provision to limit the number of refugees offered permanent residency.
Fifty-six percent want the process to place a greater emphasis on an applicant’s job skills over their ties to family members in the U.S., which the RAISE Act would do by making it harder for extended family members to get green cards.
The majority of voters also said an applicant’s need for government assistance should be a factor in whether he or she is admitted. The idea of eliminating the current visa lottery system was backed by 45 percent, and opposed by 32 percent.
But the bill intends to decrease total immigrant admissions from the 1 million annually averaged now to half that in a decade – an idea voters are divided about. A total of 48 percent support reducing the number of legal immigrants by half, while 39 percent do not like the idea.
The poll said 39 percent of people asked believe the U.S. has “about the right amount” of immigrants coming in every year, and 33 percent think there are “too many” people being accepted.
Another 63 percent of voters said age should not be used as a determining factor in immigrant admittances, and only 24 percent of people said it should be considered.
President Trump announced last week he supports the bill and said it would reduce the amount of government welfare being paid out because immigrants would increasingly be working good-paying jobs.
“This legislation will not only restore our competitive edge in the 21st century but the bonds of trust between America and its citizens. This legislation demonstrates our compassion for struggling American families who deserve an immigration system that puts their needs first and America first,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House last week. “This competitive application process will favor applicants who can speak English, financially support themselves and their families, and demonstrate skills that will contribute to our economy.”
The newfound public support for the RAISE Act could help Perdue and Cotton move it through Congress, where lawmakers have been unable to pass any major reforms at all related to immigration, taxes or healthcare.
The online poll was conducted among 1,992 registered voters nationwide and had a 2 percentage point margin of error.
