NEW JERSEY CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE COMMITTEE

P.O. Box 353

Piscataway, NJ 08855-0353

www.nj-civilrights.org

December 6, 2006

For Immediate Release

Contact: Eric Lerner

elerner@igc.org

973-736-0522

Election-day poll in NYC Shows Broad Support for Sweeping Immigration Reform

A poll conducted on Election Day in two New York immigrant neighborhoods showed broad support for sweeping immigration reforms. While not scientific samples, the poll showed almost unanimous support for basic principles of equality and overwhelming opposition to all detentions without criminal charge, including opposition to immigrant detentions and to the controversial Military Commissions Act.  Over 60% of those polled favored complete freedom of movement across the borders and the right to vote for all immigrants.

A coalition of immigrant rights and activist groups formulated the questions on the poll based on meetings with groups of immigrants.  The questions on immigrant rights were part of a broader list of referendum questions termed the “People’s Election.” The participating groups included The Active Citizen Project, New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE), New Jersey Civil Rights Defense Committee and the African Services Committee.  Polling was conducted near election polling places in East Harlem and Jackson Heights. Some 260 people were polled.

One aim of the poll was to find the opinions of all immigrants, including permanent residents and undocumented persons who could not vote. However, since the polling was conducted near election polling places, the sample was probably biased towards citizens. “It’s likely support would be even stronger for many of these proposals among non-citizen immigrants”, said Eric Lerner of NJ Civil Rights Defense Committee, one of the participating organizations.

The proposals with the greatest support outlined basic principles of equality. “Full worker right and protections for ALL workers” was favored by 94% and “equal job and education access for everyone” by 92%. (At present undocumented immigrants have neither full work protections nor equal access to jobs and education.) Almost as many –83%-- favored “creating an equitable system for the transfer of credential from one’s home country” a key issue among immigrants who have often achieved high level of education but are unable to use their training in the US.

Nearly 72% of those polled favored “repealing the Military Commissions Act (which allows detention without charge)” and essentially an equal number –70%--favored the immediate freeing of all detainees held without criminal charges”. This would include 20,000 immigrant detainees in the US as well as the 400 detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The most sweeping reform proposals also had wide support.  Over 62% favored ”allowing freedom of movement across the borders for all to facilitate reunification of families”, a move that would abolish all restrictions on immigration. Over 61% favored “the right to vote for all immigrants”, a right which existed in New York a century ago. Almost as many –58%-- favored giving green cards to everyone already living in the Untied States and 56% favored ending deportation of immigrants.

"When they voted to support non-citizen voting in elections, New Yorkers were endorsing the concept behind the People's Election," said Cheryl Wertz of NICE, another of the participating organizations. “If you live in a neighborhood, you have a stake in that neighborhood and should be able to hold your elected officials accountable."

Full People’s Election results and analysis are available at www.thepeopleselection.com.  The organizations involved viewed the poll as a pilot project for much larger efforts in the future.