According to a 2018 survey, education appears to be a greater indication of U.S. adults' beliefs over the legal status of immigrants than political beliefs, with 48 percent of college graduates who lean towards the Republican Party correctly answering that the majority of immigrants are living in the United States legally. This figure dropped to 32 percent for non-college educated Republicans.
It was estimated that, in 2015, around 75 percent of immigrants in the United States were living in the country legally.
Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education
* Includes independents and other non-partisans who “lean” toward the parties.
Illegally/other includes respondents who answered that half of immigrants are in the U.S. illegally and the other half legally.
Responses marked "don't know" not shown.
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Pew Research Center. (June 28, 2018). Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 19, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center. "Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education." Chart. June 28, 2018. Statista. Accessed December 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center. (2018). Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center. "Share of Adults Who Believe Most Immigrants in The United States Are Living in The Country Illegally in 2018, by Political Party and Level of Education." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Jun 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center, Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/ (last visited December 19, 2024)
Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education [Graph], Pew Research Center, June 28, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
