Public Misconceptions about Legal Immigration Undermine Reform

The American public overwhelmingly supports legal immigration, with deep divisions on whether this path is “easy”.

Both parties criticize the Biden administration’s policies on the southern border, while sensationalized news coverage of a border crisis often misrepresents undocumented immigration. Often left out of these discussions is legal immigration, which constitutes approximately 77% of all immigrants.

Clear majorities of Americans historically viewed immigration as a net positive, yet persistent majorities also view undocumented immigrants negatively. Pew Research surveys in 2018 found support for increasing legal immigration tripling since 2001 at 32%, most of that increase attributed to Democrats, with an all-time...