New Pew Report Clocks Latinos on Immigration

For a second week in a row, I was able to participate, via phone, in the Pew Center's release of an important study, this one on Latinos' attitudes to immigration, "As Illegal Immigration Issue Heats Up, Latinos Feel A Chill." The survey, taken in November, asked respondents whether they were citizens or not, but not about their immigrant status. Puerto Ricans were included as native born in the group questioned from the overall population, not the immigrant group. And Brazilians were included as Latinos. On the whole, the findings showed Latinos (75%) favorable to ALL immigration and a belief that, on the whole, immigration benefited this country.

Other tidbits that should whet your appetite to read the summary, even the whole report, are:
* 54% of Latinos fear deportation of themselves, family members or friends. (There has been an 84% increase in deportations in the past 5 years, with a tenfold increase in workplace deportations.)
* 41% of respondents said they have been discriminated against this year. 31% had an equal complaint 5 years ago.
* Hispanics and non-Hispanics disagree widely on current measures taken against the undocumented, the most notable: workplace raids, the cooperation of local authorities with federal immigration agencies, checking the documents before issuing immigrants a driver's license.
* Responses to nearly all the questions placed native born Latinos between the foreign born and the general population, though their views tended to side more closely with those of the foreign born, i.e, their own folk.
* 8 of 10 Latinos believe their children will be more affluent than the current generation.

For more stats on recent trends in immigration, try Stateline.org.