The poll found that 67 percent of Arizona voters favor the bill and 30 percent are opposed to it. Out of population of 6.5 million, Arizona is suspected of having 460,000 illegal immigrants. Basically, 1 out of 14 Arizonans are illegal, also known as undocumented.
Fifty-five percent of those polled said they favor “authorizing local police to stop and check the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally.”
That’s a drop from 70 percent two weeks ago.
“The decline could be the result of vocal opposition to the measure and massive media coverage surrounding the issue,” said the Rasmussen report. “It also could be due to the fact that, on the new survey, it was asked immediately after another question about the law signed last week by the governor. Some may have perceived that the question was asking about an additional law. Future polling will indicate whether support for the law is changing over time.”
Sixty-one percent of Arizona voters are angry or frustrated with the immigration situation. Those who are “angry” are likely to be more angry with the federal government than at illegal immigrants. Only 10 percent expressed anger at immigrants themselves. “This is also similar to views held nationwide,” according to Rasmussen.
Criticizing the Arizona legislation last Friday, President Obama also criticized the federal government for not improving current immigration laws.
“Our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others,” he said.
The fault of the federal government was also echoed by Gov. Brewer.
“We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act. But decades of federal inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation,” she said.
