BackgrounderCenter for Immigration Studies英文资料.pdfVIP

Center for Immigration Studies Backgrounder February 2013 Pro-Immigration Congressional Republicans Do Not Perform Better Among Latino Voters By George Hawley The Democratic Party enjoys a sizable advantage among Latino voters. It is largely taken for granted that Republicans can earn a greater share of the Latino vote if they support less restrictive immigration policies and legalization for illegal immigrants. This study examines public opinion data from 2006 to consider whether this is the case. The 2006 election is a particularly good year to examine congressional behavior on immigration and the Latino vote because House Republicans passed a strong enforcement bill that year that prompted national protests. They also turned aside efforts to legalize illegal immigrants. This study found that Latinos living in House districts represented by pro-immigration Republican incumbents were no more likely to support that incumbent than Latinos living in House districts represented by Republican incumbents with pro-enforcement records. Supporting more generous immigration policies does not appear to be a way for Republicans to increase their share of the Latino vote. Among this Backgrounder’s findings: • Among House Republican incumbents in 2006 there was a great deal of variation in immigration voting records. • Latinos living in congressional districts with pro-immigration Republican incumbents were no more likely to support the incumbent than Latinos living in districts with Republican incumbents with more restrictive immigration records. • Adopting pro-immigration policies is unlikely