The majority of people in California believe that immigrants are a benefit to their state and that undocumented immigrants should be allowed to live and work in the United States, according to a new poll published on Wednesday. The poll, which was conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California, found that three-quarters of the respondents, including Republicans, want undocumented immigrants to be able to remain in the country providing certain conditions are met.
The poll came as a number of Republicans vying for their party’s presidential candidacy have taken strong policy stands against illegal immigration and undocumented immigrants, with front-runner Donald Trump having said that all the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States should be deported.
Most people also think undocumented immigrants should be able to remain on a national level, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll back in July. 60% of the respondents believed in offering illegal immigrants a pathway to legal status; however, the California figures are much higher than the national average, with 83% of Democrats, 70% of independents and even 53% of Republicans agreeing that the immigrants should remain if they meet conditions and pay a fine. In total 75% of all adults interviewed favor undocumented immigrants remaining in the United States.
43% of Republicans are against the idea of allowing undocumented immigrants to gain legal status and stay in the US, as are 26% of independents and just 15% of Democrats.