Immigrant rallies had little impact, poll says

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Monday's immigrant boycott did little to shift the public debate on immigration in either direction, according to a new survey taken both before and after the millions-strong walk-outs.

Before the marches, according to the Rasmussen Reports poll, 67 percent wanted an enforcement-first approach to immigration, and that number dropped an insignificant 1 percent in the poll taken after the marches.

Meanwhile, support for allowing illegal aliens a path to citizenship remained steady at 53 percent before and after.

"Nationwide rallies, protests and boycotts on Monday had little if any impact on public opinion. To the degree that there was any movement, it was not what the organizers intended," the pollsters said.

The poll did show some changes -- the protesterss' favorability rating rose from 24 percent to 29 percent, but support for pro-enforcement congressional candidates also rose.

Meanwhile, another new poll shows more support for the last year's House bill that boosted border and interior enforcement against illegal aliens over the current Senate proposal to allow most illegal aliens a path to citizenship.

Stacked head-to-head, the House bill received 56 percent support while the Senate bill received 28 percent support. Another 12 percent wanted to go further than either bill in enforcing the law, calling for for mass deportations and roundups.

That Zogby America poll, taken for the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports stricter immigration limits, was conducted April 17-24.