To: Allen Roth, SecureAmericaNow.org
From: John McLaughlin
Re: National Survey Results – Public Opinion of the Syrian Refugee Problem
Date: November 25th, 2015
Methodology: This national survey of 1,000 likely 2016 general election voters was conducted from November 20th to 24th, 2015. All interviews were conducted online; survey invitations were distributed randomly within predetermined geographic units. These units were structured to correlate with actual voter turnout in a nationwide general election. This poll of 1,000 likely general election voters has an accuracy of +/- 3.1% at a 95% confidence interval.
Survey Results: A nationwide survey of 2016 likely general election voters conducted by McLaughlin & Associates for SecureAmericaNow.org finds that more than 4 out of 5 voters, 84%, would categorize immigration from the Middle East to the United States as “Dangerous.” The plurality, 49%, said “very dangerous,” with another 35% saying “somewhat dangerous.” Only 12%, said it was “not dangerous at all,” with the remaining 4%, saying they didn’t know. These numbers are strong across the board as even Democrats (75%) and Liberals (69%) view immigration from the Middle East as dangerous.
“In light of the most recent Islamic Terror attacks in Paris, how dangerous do you see immigration from the Middle East to the United States as… ?”
| Total | GOP | DEM | IND | LIB | MOD | CONS | White | AA | Hisp. | <55 | >55 | Men | Women | |
| DANGEROUS | 84 | 94 | 75 | 83 | 69 | 86 | 95 | 84 | 80 | 90 | 82 | 86 | 83 | 84 |
| Very | 49 | 69 | 37 | 44 | 31 | 47 | 69 | 50 | 45 | 51 | 48 | 51 | 49 | 50 |
| Somewhat | 35 | 26 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 39 | 26 | 34 | 35 | 39 | 34 | 35 | 34 | 35 |
| NOT DANG. AT ALL | 12 | 3 | 20 | 11 | 26 | 9 | 2 | 13 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 11 |
| DK/Ref. | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Only 1 in 4 Americans believes it is our moral duty to resettle tens of thousands of Syrian refugees. The majority of Americans, 56%, say no, it is not our moral duty, with another 19% saying they didn’t know. Only a plurality of self-described liberals, 48%, said that it was our moral duty to resettle tens of thousands of refugees. The majority of moderates (57%) and conservatives (73%) said it was not.
“Syria is engulfed by a deadly civil war. There are estimates that hundreds of thousands of people have died because of this fighting. Do you feel it is our moral duty to resettle tens of thousands of Syrian refugees?”
| Total | GOP | DEM | IND | LIB | MOD | CONS | White | AA | Hisp. | <55 | >55 | Men | Women | |
| YES | 25 | 13 | 38 | 22 | 48 | 20 | 11 | 22 | 35 | 32 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 25 |
| NO | 56 | 71 | 39 | 60 | 36 | 57 | 73 | 61 | 37 | 50 | 56 | 55 | 59 | 52 |
| DK/Ref. | 19 | 16 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 23 | 17 | 18 | 28 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 15 | 23 |
Three-quarters, 74%, of Americans approve of creating safe havens with no fly zones and humanitarian aid for Syrians to receive in their own country rather than processing them as refugees. Only 14% disapprove, with another 12% saying they don’t know. There exists strong bi-partisan approval for this measure as Republicans (77%), Democrats (70%) and Independents (74%) approve.
“Transporting and processing tens of thousands of Syrian refugees safely to the United States is a logistical and security nightmare but providing humanitarian aid is a moral imperative that the United States should address. Rather than allowing millions of Syrians to be displaced by the Civil War to Europe and the U.S., it would better to create safe havens with no fly zones and humanitarian aid for Syrians to receive in their own country?”
| Total | GOP | DEM | IND | LIB | MOD | CONS | White | AA | Hisp. | <55 | >55 | Men | Women | |
| APPROVE | 74 | 77 | 70 | 74 | 66 | 75 | 79 | 75 | 64 | 79 | 73 | 75 | 73 | 74 |
| Strongly | 33 | 44 | 23 | 34 | 22 | 33 | 44 | 34 | 29 | 39 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 34 |
| Somewhat | 40 | 33 | 47 | 40 | 44 | 42 | 35 | 42 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 40 |
| DISAPPROVE | 14 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 21 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 7 | 16 | 11 | 18 | 11 |
| Somewhat | 9 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 7 |
| Strongly | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| DK/Ref. | 12 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 15 |
Only 11% of Americans believe President Obama is winning the war against Isis. Three-quarters of Americans, 73%, say “No.” Even the President’s base does not believe he is winning the war as the majority of Democrats (53%) and liberals (55%) said “no.”
“Do you think President Obama is winning the war against ISIS?”
| Total | GOP | DEM | IND | LIB | MOD | CONS | White | AA | Hisp. | <55 | >55 | Men | Women | |
| YES | 11 | 6 | 21 | 5 | 20 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 18 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 9 |
| NO | 73 | 91 | 53 | 79 | 55 | 73 | 91 | 80 | 42 | 71 | 71 | 76 | 74 | 73 |
| DK/Ref. | 16 | 3 | 26 | 16 | 25 | 15 | 7 | 13 | 34 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 19 |
Demographic Breakdown – 11-24-15
| Party | 11/15 | Age | 11/15 | Race | 11/15 |
| Republican | 32% | 18-29 | 15% | White | 71% |
| Democrat | 38% | 30-40 | 18% | African American | 13% |
| Independent | 30% | 41-55 | 27% | Hispanic | 12% |
| Ideology | % | 56-65 | 22% | Asian | 3% |
| Liberal | 31% | Over 65 | 19% | Gender | % |
| Moderate | 37% | Male | 47% | ||
| Conservative | 32% | Female | 53% |
To view this memo in .pdf form please click here.
