Sixty-seven percent (67%) of U.S. voters say military troops should be sent to the Mexican border to prevent illegal immigration

A new nationwide telephone survey finds that just 18% are opposed and another 15% are not sure. A majority of Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated voters all support the concept of using the troops to stop illegal immigration. President Obama recently announced that he is sending troops to the Mexican border, but the stated purpose is to prevent the spread of drug-related violence. The new survey also finds that just 26% of voters believe the U.S. Department of Justice should challenge the legality of Arizona’s new law in federal court. Fifty-six percent (56%) oppose such a challenge, and 18% more are not sure. Earlier polling found that most Americans trust the Arizona state leaders more than leaders in Washington, DC on the topic of immigration. A senior official at the Department of Homeland Security has said that it may not process illegal immigrants sent to them by Arizona authorities. Only 24% of voters support that approach while 55% disagree and believe Homeland Security should process the illegal immigrants arrested under the new law. One-in-five voters (20%) aren't sure which course is best. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters now favor passage of a law like Arizona’s in their own states. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of voters believe a police officer should be required to check the immigration status of anyone stopped for a traffic violation or violation of some other law if he suspects the person might be an illegal immigrant. Boston and Los Angeles were among the first to announce boycotts of Arizona, but 68% of Americans say it’s a bad idea for other cities or states to boycott Arizona over its new immigration law. Voters across the nation are extremely skeptical about the federal government’s role in the immigration debate. Three-out-of-four voters believe that the federal government is not doing enough to secure the nation’s borders. In fact, 56% believe that the policies of the federal government encourage illegal immigration. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters say illegal immigrants are a significant strain on the U.S. budget. Most voters continue to say as they have for years that gaining control of the border is more important than legalizing the status of illegal immigrants.