SecureAmericaNow – Public Opinion of the Syrian Refugee Problem

To:          Allen Roth, SecureAmericaNow.org

From:    John McLaughlin

Re:         National Survey Results – Public Opinion of the Syrian Refugee Problem

Date:   November 25^th, 2015                                                                                                                                       

 

Methodology: This national survey of 1,000 likely 2016 general election voters was conducted from November 20^th to 24^th, 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.