IMMIGRATION

Poll: Millennials don't share Trump's immigration stance

USA TODAY/Rock the Vote survey says two-thirds of young voters support pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants

Daniel González
The Republic | azcentral.com
  • 60 percent say the next president should use executive powers on immigration reform, if necessary
  • 51 percent don't agree that all undocumented immigrants should be deported
  • 50 percent say the next president should focus on border security
Protesters exchange words outside a July rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. His controversial and sometimes offensive remarks on immigration, Mexicans and Muslims have prompted protests.

Millennials don't share the tough stance on immigration taken by Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, according to a new poll.

Voters under age 35 are more divided, however, when it comes to border security and deportation.

Supporting a pathway to citizenship

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Millennials support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants by more than 2 to 1, or 68 percent to 26 percent, according to the USA TODAY/Rock the Vote poll.

"Most of them have been contributing in a great way, and I think they should be allowed to stay and I think they should be allowed to gain their citizenship here," said Emery Engle, 24, a telecommunications worker from Tucson, who participated in the survey.

Other views on immigration 

Similarly, Millennials think it should be easier for people from other countries to come to the U.S. legally by 63 percent to 30 percent.

Sixty percent also think the next president should use his or her executive powers to deal with immigration if Congress doesn't act; 30 percent disagree.

Where GOP candidates stand

Trump and his main GOP rival, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, have vowed to revoke President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration.

The actions include an existing program that allows undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to apply for protection from deportation and for work permits.  A separate program, currently on hold following a court challenge, would offer the same benefits to undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and legal residents.

MORE: Is Trump's success good for immigration reform?

Trump and Cruz also vehemently oppose allowing undocumented immigrants to gain legal status or citizenship.  Both candidates say they would work to deport all immigrants who are in the country illegally. Trump has said, however, he would allow some to return legally if they met certain conditions.

Millennials divided on deportation

Millennials are somewhat divided on the issue of deportation. According to the poll, 42 percent agree all undocumented immigrants should be deported; 51 percent disagree.

Trump also has promised to complete a giant wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and make Mexico pay for it.

Their views on border security 

Millennials, again, are split when it comes to border security. Fifty percent say the next president should focus on securing the nation's borders before dealing with the rest of the immigration system.  Forty-two percent  disagree.

Ryanne Milani, 24, a software quality assurance worker from Baltimore, Md., said border security is important, but other immigration issues are more pressing.

Those include addressing the legal status of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

"I just feel like there are more important things to worry about, not that it's not an important issue," she said. "I feel like ( border security) is a thing that would require a lot of resources to not really address an issue. I just don't feel like it would fix the problem or is focusing on the right part of the problem."

The online survey, taken by Ipsos Public Affairs, a Washington, D.C., firm, from March 3-10, polled 1,541 adults ages 18-34. Of those polled, 47 percent identified themselves as Democrat or leaning Democrat, 25 percent as Republican or leaning Republican and 18 percent as independent.

The poll is part of USA TODAY's One Nation initiative, a series of forums across the country on the most important issues of 2016.

The next forum focusing on immigration will take place Monday in Scottsdale.  The Arizona primary is Tuesday.

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