When it comes to immigration policies, ASU students don't see a major difference between John Kerry and George W. Bush, according to a new survey of student opinion.
Students were also evenly divided on whether illegal immigrants should be granted amnesty and allowed to apply for citizenship, but most said that illegal immigrants should get such Constitutional protections as freedom from search and seizure without just cause.
The poll of ASU students, conducted by the Precision Journalism class in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, asked students about their views on a wide range of immigration issues.
Surprisingly, thirty-two percent of students polled said they know someone who is an illegal immigrant. At the same time, 34 percent said they believe that illegal immigration is a threat to national security.
And half of ASU students agreed that immigrants from the Middle East should be given closer scrutiny than other immigrants before they are admitted to the United States.
The poll, conducted Sept. 8-12, drew 149 responses, and has a margin of error of 7.8 percent.
A little more than half, 51 percent, said they believe Proposition 200, which will appear on Arizona's ballot, is necessary. It would require people to prove citizenship in order to vote or get public benefits.
Support for the proposition is somewhat lower among college students than the general public, judging from a poll conducted for KAET-PBS last month.
That poll showed almost three to one support for the proposition, said Bruce Merrill, ASU professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, who conducted the poll.
Rachel Aiken, a senior religious studies and psychology major who participated in the Cronkite class poll, attributes support for Proposition 200 to "propaganda that says immigrants are stealing American jobs."
"I have friends who are illegal immigrants, and I've had to take them to the hospital," she said. "I don't think it's right to deny them rights. They're human beings and they're contributing to our economy."
Gustavo Chavarria, a freshman bio-engineering major at ASU, echoed that sentiment when asked about putting up water and safety stations in the desert to save the lives of illegal border crossers. Like 50 percent of ASU students polled, he said such stations are a good idea.
"Even though they're crossing illegally, they're still people," he said.
When it comes to their fellow students, those polled opposed giving illegal immigrants studying at ASU financial aid or scholarships, but they said international students should be able to bring their families to this country.
"I don't think studying should cut you off from your family," said Jason Carter, a senior interdisciplinary studies major and a member of the Army National Guard.
"Coming from a military background, I wouldn't want to be cut off from my family."
Jennifer Girardin is a senior majoring in print journalism. Reach her at erika.wurst@asu.edu.
