45 percent of Americans feel immigration should decrease

By siliconindia   |   Wednesday, 28 July 2010, 23:19 IST   |    2 Comments
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45 percent of Americans feel immigration should decrease
WASHINGTON: Two days to go before the law criminalizing illegal immigration to be effective in Arizona, nearly half the US population believes immigration should decrease in their country. A Gallup poll survey on immigration of 1,020 adults found 45 percent saying it should decrease, 17 percent that it should increase, and 34 percent that it should stay at current levels, reports The Times of India. The telephonic survey dated between July 8-11 showed that the gap between the extreme views had narrowed since last year, when 50 percent wanted immigration to decrease and 14 percent favored an increase. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans have taken a tougher stance on immigration. The controversial law is poised to take effect on Thursday making it a crime to enter the country illegally. Arizona is the first US state to do so over the objections of the federal government which considers immigration policy its prerogative. The survey also found that 57 percent of Americans believe immigration has been a "good thing" for the country - one of the lowest ratings in 10 years, against 36 percent who think it has been a "bad thing." Recent surveys on the Arizona low found more than 60 percent of the US population supporting it.