Poll: Majority say let Illegal Immigrants Stay in US

More than 6 in 10 Americans now favor allowing illegal immigrants to
eventually become U.S. citizens, a major increase in support driven by a
turnaround in Republicans opinions after the 2012 elections. The Associated Press GfK poll shows 62% of Americans support putting illegal immigrants on the path to citizenship, a sharp increase of 47% from the same poll in 2009.
There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the US nationwide, and though not a boarder state, Immigration Attorney Christi Giddeon in Oklahoma City says the Sooner state has it's own appeal for possible illegal immigrants, "We have the opportunity for a lot of work," Giddeon said. The poll suggests attitudes are changing, and with President Barack Obama making overhauling immigration laws a centerpiece of his second term, Giddeon says the skies are changing, "With that atmosphere I think people are becoming more open to the idea, we do have a high number of immigrants and how are we going to handle that?" Giddeon said.
In south Oklahoma city, Oklahoman Andrew Galura is not surprised by the poll, "A lot of people are starting to realize it's not necessarily a bad thing," Galura added, "As long as you help them out, and get them on the path to legal citizenship." Though this is a national poll, it's important to note that Oklahoma has a history of anti-immigration laws, in 2011 the Oklahoma Senate approved a broad bill giving police the right to arrest illegal immigrants, and denied in-state tuition for illegal immigrants who went to high school in Oklahoma.
It's an issue we may soon see federally decided in the next four years.
Mark Taylor
Fox 25 News
MeTaylor@okcfox.comPoll: Majority say let Illegal Immigrants Stay in US

Posted: Monday, January 28 2013, 12:02 AM CST