Show Americans have immigration on their minds minds' Janet Hook Los Angeles Times third One-third of Americans want to deprive illegal immigrants of social services including public schooling and emergency- emergency room health care a new Los Angeles Times Bloomberg Poll has found Still in a sign of the ambivalence among voters about an emotionally charged issue a strong bipartisan majority 60 percent favors allowing illegal immigrants who have not committed crimes to become citizens if they pay fines learn English and meet other requirements Those crosscurrents create treacherous political waters for the major presidential candidates in both parties many of whom have tended to avoid spotlighting the issue But all the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House contenders have been forced to confront the issue repeatedly under questioning at campaign events and candidate forums During Tuesdays Tuesday's radio debate am among among ng Democrats the candidates were asked if citizens should turn in someone they know to be bean bean bean an illegal immigrant Most said no In other settings however several have been talking a tough fough line lineon lineon lineon on issues such as denying drivers driver's licenses to illegal i immigrants Some poll respondents in up follow-up interviews expressed frustration that the candidates have not been more forthright in addressing immigration- immigration related issues I dont don't know what the answer is but I dont don't think the candidates know what the answer is either said Lodie Lambright a retired state government worker in Rhode Island The survey conducted under the supervision of Times Poll Director Susan Pinkus was based on interviews from Friday through Monday of 1245 registered voters The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points The poll indicates that illegal immigration is not the most important issue voters have on their minds but that most people view it as a key concern Asked what problem is a atop atop atop top priority for presidential candidates to address 15 percent said illegal immigration the fifth most-mentioned most topic behind the war in Iraq the economy protecting the country from terrorist attack and health care Asked how much of a problem illegal immigration is 8 81 I percent of voters said they considered it important including 27 percent who said it was one of the most pressing problems facing the country The poll also makes clear that voters make a distinction n between legal and illegal immigrants Asked if illegal immigrants had made a positive or negative contribution to their community 36 percent said negative 2 21 I percent said positive 29 percent said the impact was not discernible When the same question was asked about legal immigrants only 12 percent said their impact was negative 46 percent said positive 3 31 I percent said no discernible impact I don dont don't mind immigration but I do think they need to learn leam the English language and should become an American citizen said Patricia Buckner a Florida retiree When those who said immigrants had a negative impact were asked precisely how the reasons most often cited were increased crime 30 percent loss of American jobs 35 percent and increased cost of social services 19 percent The survey which allowed respondents to name up to five social services they would allow showed a disparity Far more people would allow access to room emergency-room care and schooling than other benefits such as food stamps and drivers driver's licenses Some 46 percent of respondents said that immigrants ts should be beable beable beable able to receive emergency medical treatment and 40 percent said they should have access to public school But only 22 percent of voters said that illegal immigrants should be able to obtain limited drivers driver's licenses a question that recently has put the Democratic presidential candidates on the spot The finding underscores the political climate that caused many leading Democrats to oppose licenses for illegal immigrants when it was proposed earlier this year yearby yearby yearby by New York Democratic Gov Eliot who eventually backed down When Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton D- D NY was asked about the proposal in a debate in late October she gave an ambiguous answer answer praising but stopping short of fully backing his plan In a debate a few weeks later she said she opposed licensing illegal immigrants Some of those resisting the idea of providing a range of services to illegal immigrants argue that it drains resources from US U.S. citizens and legal immigrants who are in need It seems like our money in this country is going out faster than it is coming in and the spending is J helping the people who arc not US U.S. citizens said Buckner who described herself as a liberal Democrat The poll also found stiff resistance to allowing illegal immigrants to pay discounted state in-state tuition at public colleges Only 12 percent of voters including 20 percent of Democrats and 6 percent of Republicans supported that idea That illuminates why GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has taken flak from his party for supporting while he was governor of Arkansas a college subsidy for the children of illegal immigrants Voters are divided about what the best solution is isto isto isto to the problem of illegal immigration but a strong majority expressed support for a proposal discussed in Congress part Congress part of pf ofa a package backed by President Bush that would create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in th the US U.S. The plan under which illegal immigrants could become citizens if they have no criminal record register in the US U.S. pay a afine afine afine fine learn English and meet other requirements was supported by 64 percent of Democratic voters and 62 percent of Republican voters However that plan died in Congress under fire from cri tics who called forthe US U.S. to do more to tighten border security before considering liberalized treatment of illegal immigrants And the plan has been little-discussed little by candidates of either party on the presidential campaign trail even by Sen John McCain R who was one of its leading proponents Associate Times Trines Polling Director Jill Darling contributed to this report |