ASU poll shows support for guest workers, police immigrant policy
A new poll shows state voters support a new Phoenix Police Department policy allowing officers to ask about immigration status, as well as a business-backed state guest worker program for migrants from Mexico.
The Arizona State University/KAET-TV Channel 8 poll found that 75 percent support a state guest worker program that would allow Arizona businesses to hire Mexican workers on two-year work permits for tough-to-fill jobs. Only 18 percent of those surveyed opposed the idea, which requires approval from Congress and the Legislature.
Corporate interests support a state and/or a federal guest worker program to bring in foreign laborers. Critics say businesses back guest worker plans because they want cheap labor.
Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed also backed a change in Phoenix Police Department policies, which allows officers to ask those arrested for criminal offenses about their immigration status creditreports.
Previously, the Phoenix police did not ask. Only 13 percent of those responding opposed the new policy, according to the ASU survey.
The poll was conducted Feb. 21-24 and queried 552 Arizona voters.
The results also showed Arizona Sen. John McCain beating potential presidential rival Illinois Sen. Barack Obama by a 49 percent to 38 percent margin. The poll also showed 49 percent backing and 40 percent opposing a proposed ballot measure that defines marriage in the Arizona constitution as between a man and woman.