In March 2022, the PIE Center surveyed 1,509 adult U.S. citizens to examine their perceptions of immigration. Overall, respondents expressed positive attitudes toward immigrants. Most respondents described immigrants in the United States as hardworking, intelligent and friendly.
When asked about their most recent interaction with an immigrant, respondents reported feeling comfortable and safe during those interactions. Respondents who interacted with immigrants more frequently possessed more positive attitudes toward immigrants.
“The survey revealed differences in the way the public views immigrants versus immigration as a whole,” said PIE Center media coordinator Sydney Honeycutt, who led the development of the survey. “While respondents generally held positive attitudes toward immigrants, we saw some concerns related to the perceived impacts of immigration on society.”
Respondents were most concerned about immigration threatening the availability of government benefits and the U.S. economy. Individuals who felt that immigration posed a more significant threat to society were more likely to possess negative attitudes toward immigrants.
The survey sought to identify perceptions of immigration related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Conducting this research during COVID-19 helped us understand public opinion of immigration specific to the pandemic,” Honeycutt said. “Respondents expressed empathy toward immigrants, but held harsher views toward immigration policy.”
Most respondents were concerned about the health and wellbeing of immigrants and did not believe immigration was responsible for the high number of COVID-19 cases at the time of the survey. However, when asked if immigration should be restricted during the pandemic, more respondents agreed with restricting immigration than those who disagreed.
“Results from this study emphasize the importance of informing citizens about immigration,” Honeycutt said. “Communication efforts can help reduce perceptions of threat and initiate important conversations about immigration.”
Read the key findings from the study by clicking on the issue guide linked below.
