Fresno State survey finds concern over deportations

According to a new survey of the San Joaquin Valley conducted by the Institute for Leadership and Public Policy at Fresno State, nearly a majority of respondents (46 percent) worry that they or someone they know could be deported.

According to a new survey of the San Joaquin Valley conducted by the Institute for Leadership and Public Policy at Fresno State, nearly a majority of respondents (46 percent) worry that they or someone they know could be deported.

Minority groups were more likely to report being concerned about deportations. Sixty-eight percent of Latinos and 33 percent of non-white, non-latinos, which includes blacks and Asians, expressed concern that they could be personally affected by more deportations. In comparison, only 21 percent of whites are concerned that they or someone they know may be deported.

The survey was conducted in late March, amidst increasing national discussions about the possibility of more deportations under the Trump Administration, including the deportation of undocumented immigrants who had otherwise been law-abiding.

Fear over deportations was also divided along party lines. A strong majority of Democrats, 63 percent, expressed concern about deportations, while only 16 percent of Republicans did. Forty-seven percent of Independents, or those who express no party preference, worry about someone they know being deported.

The survey results also show that a large majority of adults across the San Joaquin Valley (63 percent) believe that increasing deportations will be bad for the region’s economy. On the other hand, 19 percent think that more deportations will have a positive impact on the economy. Among Trump supporters there was no consensus about the impact of more deportations on the economy. Thirty-eight percent anticipate that more deportations will have a positive impact on the economy, while 27 percent think they will have a negative impact.

Across all racial and ethnic groups, either a plurality or a majority believe that more deportations will have a negative impact on the regional economy. Seventy-five percent of Latinos, 63 percent of non-white, non-latinos, and 45 percent of whites think the impact will be negative.

For registered voters, Democrats (80 percent) and Independents (68 percent) overwhelmingly believe that more deportations will have a negative economic impact, while one out of four Republicans think deportations will have a positive effect on the economy.

The findings in the report are based on a random sample of adults from the San Joaquin Valley.