Republicans in Iowa open to immigration reform

Republicans in Iowa open to immigration reformA presidential poll conducted in April in Iowa by immigration reform advocacy group Partnership for a New American Economy has found that the real views of Republican caucus-goers are not what most people would probably expect. 81% of likely Republican caucus-goers said they would be happy to support a Republican presidential candidate who would take a piecemeal approach to immigration reform and grant legal status to undocumented immigrants.

The steps referred to in the poll include the need to pay back taxes and a fine, to support themselves financially, pass a background check, learn American civics and the English language, implement a new employment verification system for the workplace, and securing the border.

Republican presidential caucuses in Iowa are generally seen as highly conservative; however, the immigration poll results suggest that this issue, in particular, is not quite so clear cut. The number only falls to 74% for those who would support a candidate who would include all the other reforms in addition to enabling immigrants to put in an application for US citizenship after waiting for a decade.

Just 30% want to see all undocumented immigrants currently in the United States leave the country. The Republican presidential candidate list is a large one but aside from a few notable exceptions, such as Donald Trump, the majority have delivered fairly measured and moderate opinions on the topic of immigration.