America's interest in immigration has reached new heights since Arizona passed its law that has been described as the toughest on illegal immigration so far.
In a recent Gallup poll, for example, 10 percent of respondents nationally cited immigration or illegal immigration as the nation's most important problem — the highest Gallup had recorded in more than two years.
Gallup measures public perceptions of the nation's most important problem each month. Mentions of immigration last reached double digits in January 2008, and peaked at 19 percent in April 2006.
Among other national poll results:
• Another Gallup poll showed that more than three-quarters of Americans had heard about Arizona's new law, and of those, 51 percent said they favored it and 39 percent opposed it.
• A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed that Hispanics were twice as likely than Americans overall to be strongly opposed to the Arizona law. Hispanics' opposition stemmed from concerns that the law will lead to discrimination toward Latinos in this country legally. Eighty-two percent of Hispanics were concerned about racial profiling, compared with 66 percent overall.
• A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll showed that 65 percent of respondents think individual states should have the right to make their own immigration laws if they believe the federal government has failed to act; 32 percent said states should not have that right.
• A poll by NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo showed that 61 percent of respondents backed the Arizona law, while 60 percent said they would support comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
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