PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island residents are split on the subjects of immigration and immigrant assimilation but strongly support education programs for the children of immigrants, according to a survey conducted by Brown University.
The survey, conducted ahead of a March 12 symposium on “Immigrants and Immigration in the 21st Century,” revealed that 54 percent of Rhode Island residents support the enactment of a law similar to the one passed in Arizona last year requiring local police to enforce federal immigration laws.
Support for an Arizona-type immigration law was stronger among Republicans, with 76 percent in favor, and less so among Democrats, with 44 percent supporting it. On the potential effectiveness of such a law, 42 percent said it would force undocumented immigrants out of the state while 41 percent did not believe it would do so.
An overwhelming majority of Rhode Islanders recognized drawbacks to passing such legislation: 72 percent said it would discourage immigrants from reporting crimes; 71 percent said incidents of racial profiling would increase, and 69 percent said legal residents and citizens would be stopped and questioned by the police.
Forty-four percent anticipated that such a measure would come with high economic costs.
Nevertheless, Rhode Islanders were in strong consensus on issues of educating immigration children; 83 percent were in favor of programs that teach immigrant children English and 68 percent supported extending in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrant children who graduate from Rhode Island high schools.
The symposium, hosted by Brown’s Taubman’s Center for Public Policy, is scheduled for March 12 at 10 a.m. in MacMillan Hall, 167 Thayer St., Room 117.
The survey, funded by a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation, was conducted by a statewide random sample of 508 Rhode Island residents in November 2010 and February 2011 and has a margin of error of about 4.3 percentage points.
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I am a legal resident, I always carry my drivers licence and show my passport when I cross the borders. This is not a hassle and is expected. Immigration is a benefit to our country and a privilege to the person immigrating, follow the rules and your welcomed. Break the laws and your asked to leave. When your welcomed your children will should be welcomed to attend school. However, if you are an illegal resident, that would define NON-resident.
More important in this intense illegal immigration issue, is corporate determination to keep employing cheap labor. We can discuss this major problem forever, still keep challenging the real border fence and should even identifying tourists who are coming here to settle. Other than a few American patriotic lawmakers the Leftist Czars governing refuse to enforce severe laws on this priority. Consequently–we must contact our senators and Congressman to revise the E-Verify; a Senate bill nearly killed by Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada. TODAY–NOT TOMORROW we must demand that both sides of the aisle enact a mandatory E-Verify program that verifies who is allowed to be hired and whose not? Every worker of long term employment or just hired must be inspected, with emphasis on Contractors and sub-contractors; they are principle violators.
Utah and other malleable states as the Sanctuary States of California, Nevada, Colorado are in for a giant surprise. As hundreds of thousands who illegally settled in the State of Arizona and throughout America that are brandishing policing provisions, will be fleeing and turning up in your communities; Michigan as with Arizona will be ignored and given a wide berth. With limited safeguards on the border or at airports, countless numbers of economic searching people will head to those States with less immigration restrictions.
There should be a free Whistle-Blowers site to inform the federal authorities, with a reward mechanism. Business owners who –are—THE–problem along with those politicians who are in collusion with owners, should suffer heavy penalties included being unseated by voters. That means we need a 100% security proof voting system to stop the fraud by illegal aliens, from using absentee balloting or polling station abuses. Using more than one illegal worker should draw a fine of $25.000 on a business property. Second offense guarantees a fine of $100.000 dollars and 2 years in prison.This should be a zero-tolerance policy with no exemptions. Otherwise the US government and all the comedians who supposedly work for us, will keep walking on our faces. None of this is happening on a grand scale. This is stealing jobs from US born American, naturalized citizens and green card holders. The Tea Party knows full well that Unions have swollen their ranks with illegal labor, which must be also inspected by auditors.