Poll Shows Most Voters Do Not Support DREAM Act and Oppose Using Lame Duck Session to Pass It

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Nov 29, 2010, 06:23 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new national public opinion poll finds that Americans overwhelmingly oppose passage of the DREAM Act and believe that amnesty for illegal aliens should not be addressed by the lame duck Congress. The poll of 1,000 likely voters was conducted by Pulse Opinion Research on behalf of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) during the week of November 22.

Among the key findings in the poll:

59 percent of voters believe that the lame duck Congress should limit its activities to completing work on budget and tax issues and leave broad social policies to the newly elected Congress. Only 31 percent of voters believe that it is appropriate for the lame duck Congress to take up controversial issues such as amnesty for illegal aliens.
54 percent of voters oppose the DREAM Act, compared to 38 percent who support its passage.

"Promoters of the DREAM Act have deliberately tried to mislead the American people by not disclosing detailed information about the legislation. But when Americans fully understand the scope of this illegal alien amnesty proposal, the benefits that illegal aliens would be eligible to receive, and the very minimal requirements needed to qualify, they overwhelmingly oppose passage of the DREAM Act," said Dan Stein, president of FAIR.

Proponents have consistently tried to portray the DREAM Act as a very limited amnesty for a small number of high achieving young people who arrived in the United States prior to age 16. In fact, an estimated 2.1 million illegal aliens – many of whom are well into adulthood – would qualify for amnesty and subsidized educational benefits merely by taking a few college or vocational classes.

"This is the first poll that provides respondents with additional details about what really is in the DREAM Act, and asks them whether such far-reaching social policies should be enacted by a Congress where about one out five members has either been defeated by the voters, or is retiring," said Stein.

"Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Dick Durbin are counting on the fact that voters have not read the fine print in the DREAM Act and that a sizeable number of senators and representatives are no longer accountable to the American people. The DREAM Act, and the attempt to bring it up for a vote during the lame duck session, is a prime example of the sort of duplicity that voters resoundingly repudiated earlier this month.

"Congressional leaders and President Obama may claim they understand the reasons for the 'shellacking' they took at the polls, but the attempt to enact a sweeping amnesty that is opposed by most Americans, after the voters have spoken, is a clear indication that they still haven't gotten the message," Stein concluded.

The complete results of the Pulse Opinion Research poll can be found at www.fairus.org/dreampoll.

About FAIR

Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country's largest immigration reform group. With over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced.

SOURCE FAIR