Arizona's New Immigration Law Supported by Most Americans, Poll Finds

Americans who have heard about Arizona's tough new law to crack down on illegal immigrants favor the measure by 51 percent to 39 percent, according to a Gallup poll conducted April 27-28.

More than three-quarters of Americans say they have heard about Arizona's action.

The law makes it a state crime not to carry proof of legal immigration status and requires Arizona's state and local police to ask about a person's immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that he or she is in the country illegally.


Three-quarters of Republicans who have heard of the law favor it while 17 percent do not. Independents favor it 50 percent to 39 percent while Democrats oppose it 56 percent to 34 percent. The balance in each case have no opinion.

"Since the Arizona bill became law, Democrats in Congress have considered taking up the issue in the coming weeks, though this initial read on public opinion toward the Arizona law suggests Americans may not necessarily back an attempt to supersede or otherwise undermine it," Gallup said.

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