Voters Support Reforming Detention and Deportation Practices
By Evangel Penumaka
In late January, Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Chuy García, Veronica Escobar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Judy Chu and Yvette Clarke introduced the Roadmap to Freedom resolution in the House of Representatives. The resolution, drafted alongside immigration advocates such as FIRM Action, provides a pivotal foundation to reform our immigration system into one that is fair, humane, and centers on the needs and lives of immigrants. The provisions laid out in the resolution are comprehensive — ranging from establishing a pathway to citizenship to ending the mass militarization of our border regions. Data for Progress tested several of the key provisions from the resolution that focus on reforming deportation practices in a late January survey of 1,126 likely voters. The majority of voters support vital changes to our deportation practices such as initiating a process to reunite separated families and instituting scalable penalties for minor offenses by immigrants.
One aspect of the resolution focuses on reforming current detention and deportation practices and, particularly, reuniting separated families — an issue that has grown in prominence during the last four years of the Trump presidency. Fifty-four percent of likely voters support creating a process to reunite eligible individuals who were deported, detained or in sanctuary with their families. Initiating this process has notable support among self-identified Democratic voters (74 percent), compared to plurality support among Independent voters (49 percent) and majority opposition — unsurprisingly — among Republicans (53 percent oppose).
Secondly, the current system too often conflates criminalization and deportation. The proposed resolution therefore calls for a process where immigrants face scalable penalties for violations, rather than immediate deportation or detention for minor offenses. Here, 53 percent of likely voters support establishing scalable penalties based on the severity of the offenses, such as fines or community service for minor offenses. For this policy, we find Democrats and Independents closer in levels of support: 67 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of Independents support a system of scalable penalties.
Lastly, we tested voter attitudes on alternatives to detention. An important proposal in the Roadmap to Freedom is to stop unnecessary and costly detentions as immigrants wait for decisions on their migration status — which cost the federal government $8.43 million per day. Instead, immigrants should be able to reside within their community and receive support through community-based case management programs. These types of programs would provide participants with access to low or no cost services, from housing to legal counsel — all of which ensure participants can participate effectively in their court proceedings. A plurality of voters (47 percent) support promoting alternatives to detention and allowing migrants to reside in their community as they await a decision. This last policy remains popular among Democrat voters, at 69 percent support.
In these first months of 2021, President Biden has taken promising steps to end the inhumane immigration policies of past administrations. Immigrant communities, however, need more substantial reform that does not stop at simply reversing past policies. We need to radically change how we treat the people who are affected by our immigration system and the Roadmap to Freedom offers a vital foundation to do so.
Evangel Penumaka (@evangelpenumaka) is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.
Survey Methodology:
From January 29 to February 1, 2021, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1126 likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±2.9 percentage points.
Question Wording:
Some lawmakers in Congress are proposing a package of immigration reforms. For each, say whether you would support or oppose it.
Creating a process for eligible individuals who were deported, detained or in sanctuary to reunite with their families in the U.S.
Promoting alternatives to detention where, instead, migrants can reside in the community as they wait for a decision on their migration status
Establishing scalable penalties based on the severity of offenses by immigrants, such as fines or community service for minor offenses instead of mandatory detentions or deportations.
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Don’t know