Phoenix, AZ — A new poll commissioned by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Arizona was released publicly today and shows nearly two-thirds of voters in Arizona support a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. A majority of Arizona voters also support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who work in "frontline" industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, and those protected by Temporary Protected Status.
Senator Mark Kelly and Senator Krysten Sinema have expressed support for creating a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Earlier this summer, a judge issued a ruling that blocked new applications to the DACA program and placed the future of the program in jeopardy. As Congress moves forward through the budget reconciliation process, it is imperative that they provide Dreamers and other undocumented people in our communities with reliable status and a pathway to citizenship.
"For decades, undocumented migrants in Arizona have fought for basic rights and dignity for themselves, their families, and communities. Senator Kelly and Senator Sinema now have a key leadership role to play in getting rid of temporary fixes and providing citizenship for them," said Victoria López, advocacy and legal director for the ACLU of Arizona. "Creating a pathway to citizenship should be a top priority for the Senate as they move through the budget reconciliation process. Arizona voters have voiced their support for citizenship — now is the time for our leaders to listen and take action."
The House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 in March.
Among the findings of the poll, which was conducted by YouGov:
- 62 percent of Arizona voters support providing Dreamers a pathway to citizenship and protection from deportation.
- Arizona voters who support Sen. Kyrsten Sinema are about as favorable of immigration reform as the state overall.
- Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema would both enjoy narrowly improved favorability ratings for supporting a pathway to citizenship.
- Sen. Sinema's supporters report that on net they would become more favorable of her if she supported a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
A memo summarizing the poll results is available here.
