Released February 26, 1996 New Roper Poll Reflects Strong Agreement:  Support for Big Immigration Cuts Now Overwhelming (Washington) -- By overwhelming margins, Americans say it's time to cut back immigration, according to a new Roper poll.  "There's new evidence that immigration is now more likely than ever to become a major presidential campaign issue," says Sharon McCloe Stein, NPG's Washington Director.  "The poll's strength and intensity suggest that tightening immigration could easily be a major issue in the upcoming race."   The poll sampled 1,978 persons from across the country.  It was conducted for Negative Population Growth, Inc., NPG, a national public interest organization.   The face to face survey asked a variety of immigration-related population questions.  Here are the main results:      Large and substantial margins agree that overall immigration should be lower.  Eighty-three percent of all those interviewed favor a lower level of immigration than the current level of over one million a year.  That share is mostly consistent among all segments of the population. Most support less than 300,000 new immigrants a year.  A large majority favor overall immigration at less than 300,000 per year.  70 percent of all respondents support a level of immigration below 300,000 per year. This view is supported by:    52 percent of Hispanics 72 percent of Democrats 73 percent of Blacks 70 percent of Republicans 72 percent of conservatives   71 percent of moderates   66 percent of liberals Most want even larger cuts.  A majority favors fewer than 100,000 overall new immigrants a year.   A total of 54 percent say annual immigration should be less than 100,000.  Twenty percent support no immigration at all -- zero.   Trends correlate to income/education.  Those most likely to face job competition from immigrants want the lowest levels of immigration possible.  Higher than average support for zero immigration was expressed by those with less than a high school degree (29%) and those with household incomes below $15,000 (26%).   A large majority (75 percent) supports strong laws to identify and deport illegal aliens.  Only 10 percent disagrees with strict laws against the removal of illegal aliens.   The strongest supporters of tough measures against illegal aliens are self-styled political moderates (78 percent), strongly religious (76 percent), whites (77 percent), Protestants (82 percent), and Midwesterners (85 percent).   Support for tough laws against illegal aliens is supported by:      76 percent of Democrats 76 percent of Republicans 75 percent of self-described Conservatives 78 percent of self-described middle-of-the-roaders 72 percent of self-described liberals 77 percent of whites 68 percent of Blacks 60 percent of Hispanics (English-speaking) 69 percent of Catholics  82 percent of Protestants  54 percent of Jews 71 percent of "other religions" 85 percent of Midwesterners 74 percent of Southerners, 74 percent of Westerners, 63 percent of New Englanders; 76 percent of non-high school grads; 73 percent of high school grads; 76 percent of those with some college and 73 percent of college graduates.  Most Americans also support population stabilization by the year 2050.    The majority (59 percent) would like to see our population no greater than today's population or smaller.  Another 22 percent of the respondents would like to see our population stabilize somewhere between today's 265 million and the projected 400 million by 2050.  "The evidence is overwhelmingly clear," says Sharon McCloe Stein, "it's time for Congress to cut immigration by two-thirds or more.  This is an issue on which a national consensus has emerged:  America is ready to cutback drastically on immigration," she said.  NPG calls for Congress to pass, with strengthening amendments to reduce numbers further, comprehensive immigration reform bills now pending in Congress.    -30-  Home | What's New | What is NPG? | Publications | Population Facts and Figures Advertising Campaigns | Media Coverage | Members Only | Links | Population-News Listserve