A MAJORITY OF IMMIGRANTS BELIEVE ANTI-IMMIGRATION SENTIMENT IS GROWING IN THE UNITED STATES AND ARE ALARMED BY THE TONE OF THE DEBATE OVER IMMIGRATION REFORMS, ACCORDING TO A POLL RELEASED ON TUESDAY. THE POLL'S FINDINGS COME AS THE SENATE CONSIDERS IMMIGRATION REFORM PROPOSALS, INCLUDING LEGISLATION APPROVED BY THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ON MONDAY THAT WOULD ALLOW 11 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS TO SEEK U.S. CITIZENSHIP. LAWMAKERS ALSO ARE CONSIDERING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT A FELONY CRIME TO BE IN THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALLY, IMPOSE NEW PENALTIES ON EMPLOYERS WHO HIRE ILLEGALS, AND BUILD MORE FENCES ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICAN BORDER. TOLD ABOUT REFORM PROPOSALS IN CONGRESS, 68 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SAID THEY SUPPORTED TEMPORARY WORK PERMITS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND A WAY FOR THEM TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCY AFTER LEARNING ENGLISH. MORE THAN 60 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SAID THEY WERE ALARMED BY THE TONE OF THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE. SIXTY-SEVEN PERCENT SAID THEY BELIEVED ANTI-IMMIGRATION SENTIMENT WAS GROWING. ON EMPLOYMENT, 81 PERCENT SAID ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACCEPT LOW-PAYING JOBS THAT AMERICANS DO NOT WANT, AND 73 PERCENT SAID ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AID THE ECONOMY BY SUPPLYING LOW-COST LABOR. LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF THOSE SURVEYED SAID CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ARE PERFORMING WELL ON IMMIGRATION ISSUES. THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE HAS SPARKED RALLIES AROUND THE COUNTRY BY IMMIGRANT RIGHTS SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING THE WEEKEND RALLY IN LOS ANGELES THAT ATTRACTED AN ESTIMATED 500,000 PEOPLE. THE BENDIXEN & ASSOCIATES POLL OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS WAS COMMISSIONED BY NEW AMERICA MEDIA, AN ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING MORE THAN 700 ETHNIC MEDIA OUTLETS.
