A recent Siena College Research Institute Poll reveals that a majority of New Yorkers support the idea of utilizing federal properties as temporary shelters for migrants.
With a margin of 56% to 36%, respondents voiced approval for employing federally-owned lands and structures for such purposes. Additionally, 59% of those polled endorsed simplified processes for migrants to secure work authorizations.
Furthermore, 60% advocated for a comprehensive immigration reform that paves the way for citizenship for all undocumented immigrants in the country, whereas 50% opposed a complete border wall along the U.S.-Mexico southern boundary.
Siena’s SCRI Director, Don Levy, noted the mixed sentiments on immigration, stating that while “over 40% of all New Yorkers believe that immigrants take more than they offer society,” a significant portion expressed more positive views.
For instance, 61% disagreed with the notion that immigrants solely seek governmental handouts, and 53% rejected the idea that migrants are primary contributors to illegal drug activity in the U.S. The poll, with a margin of error at +/- 3.8 percentage points, was conducted from Sept. 5-8 and surveyed 800 New Yorkers through phone and online methods.
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