A just-released Gallup poll finds that a majority of Americans are not in favor of letting more Haitians into the United States, notwithstanding the killer earthquake that left over 150,000 dead and more than 2 million homeless. A large majority, 73 percent believe that the U.S. is doing enough for the Haiti victims.
Gallup: With the situation in Haiti still dire after the Jan. 12 earthquake, and with a growing number of Haitians reportedly seeking entry into the U.S., a new USA Today/Gallup poll finds that the majority of Americans do not think the U.S. should increase the number of Haitian immigrants it accepts. There is a political divide, with 57% of Democrats in favor, and most independents (57%) and Republicans (67%) opposed.
The results from the Jan. 23-24, 2010, survey come amid reports that immigration advocates and some members of Congress are urging the Obama administration to relax some of the restrictions on Haitian immigration. According to The Washington Post, discussions center on Haitians with relatives already legally in the U.S. and on injured children who are at risk of death without better medical care. The question used in this survey did not specify these types of special conditions; rather, it asked generally about increasing “the number of immigrants from Haiti allowed into the U.S.”
