Illegal immigration is primarily a federal issue, as it is up to Congress and federal agencies to enact and enforce immigration policies. But that won’t stop it from being a big issue in state elections this year — particularly as Republicans attempt to unseat Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. In fact, a Survey USA poll conducted last week for The Eagle and KWCH 12 Eyewitness News asked Kansans what issue would be the most important in determining how they vote this year. Illegal immigration and health care (also mostly a federal issue) were tied at the top spot with 21 percent each.
The breakdown of those who picked illegal immigration is interesting. Those most concerned about illegal immigration were 18- to 34-year-olds (27 percent). A higher percentage of African-Americans (27 percent) and Hispanics (47 percent) picked illegal immigration as the top issue than did whites (19 percent). And 27 percent of western Kansans picked it as the top issue, compared with 17 percent of Wichitans (26 percent of Wichitans identified as their top issue education funding, which really is a state issue).
Other issues’ ranking: education funding (20 percent), abortion regulation (12 percent), taxes (8 percent), gambling (7 percent), other (4 percent) and rural development (3 percent).
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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