New polling from Newsday on the First Congressional District race in eastern Suffolk County shows that anti-immigrant groups trying to raise fears about the Central American children who have recently arrived in the area have not been able to break down solid voter support for comprehensive immigration reform. The First Congressional District, where violence against immigrants occurred between 2000 and 2008, has been a target of national groups hoping to revive nativist organizations on Long Island.
When asked if they favored immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented, First Congressional District voters responded “Yes” overwhelmingly, by a 65 to 21 percent margin. Among Democratic voters, approval for the pathway to citizenship was nearly unanimous, with 81 percent in favor and only 8 percent opposed. Even among those who say that they will be voting for the Republican candidate, 53 percent said they wanted to allow the undocumented to earn citizenship with 32 percent opposing.
Support for the pathway to citizenship is particularly strong among voters under 55 years of age, 68 percent of whom support it, and women voters, only 16 percent of whom oppose earned citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
