There’s a generational divide in California on the issue of illegal immigration, with younger voters saying it isn’t a problem, according to results released Thursday from the USC Dornsife/LA Times Poll.
More than half — 53 percent — of respondents aged 18 to 29 said illegal immigration in California was a minor problem or not a problem at all, but 70 percent of voters aged 50 and older cited it as a major problem and even a crisis.
“We know that Californians are much more supportive of providing assistance to undocumented immigrants than voters in many other parts of the country, but it’s clear from our poll results that these attitudes are being driven by young Californians,” said Dan Schnur, director of the Unruh Institute of Politics of USC.
“Younger people are much more likely to have grown up in diverse communities and are much more likely to know someone who is undocumented,” he said. “As a result, they tend to be much less restrictionist on these issues than their parents and grandparents.”
Additionally, when asked whether undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay, 78 percent of California voters agreed, and 65 percent indicated that they should be allowed to both work and apply for citizenship.
Most Californians — 66 percent — oppose building a wall on the Mexican border to prevent immigrants from crossing illegally into the U.S., but 60 percent of voters support increasing border security.
