President Barack Obama is considering sidestepping congress to loosen US Immigration policy meanwhile a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that Americans are deeply worried that illegal immigration is threatening the American culture and economy. According to the poll 70% percent American which includes 86% Republicans who believe that illegal immigration damages the traditional beliefs and customs of the US. According to media reports, with Congress failing to come to terms with broad immigration reforms, it is possible that Obama may act alone in the coming weeks and give work permits to five million undocumented immigrants and even delay some deportations. This might be supported by the Hispanic and liberal voters but as the survey suggests the rest of the nation may not approve of it.
Furthermore, immigration has become a major issue recently due to media coverage of the surge of immigrants from Central America. People who are away from the US – Mexico border are speaking up against illegal immigrants now. A woman from New Hampshire asked how the authorities could ensure that a child sent from Central America to New Hampshire was disease free.
Immigration has always been seen as a vote winner for Democrats and Obama won more than 70% of the latino vote in his 2012 re-election. If Obama chooses to act alone on the issue it could make Republicans more likely to go out and vote, explained Ipsos pollster Chris Jackson.