More Americans say that U.S. companies benefit from legal migrants working in fields such as science and technology, according to a poll that was released on Monday.
The Associated Press (AP)-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found that more than half of U.S. adults, 51 percent, said American companies have “major” benefits from having skilled workers in fields like technology and science. The figure represents a 10-point increase from March 2024.
Around 31 percent said companies have a “minor benefit” from legal immigration, while 16 percent argued there is no benefit at all.
Nearly half of U.S. adults, 46 percent, said immigration should remain the same. Close to 3 in 10, 29 percent, said it should be increased, while another 23 percent said it should be reduced. By comparison, in January, 32 percent of Americans said immigration should be reduced, according to the poll.
The majority of Americans, 58 percent, said that legal migrants provide a “major benefit” to the U.S. economy. The number has spiked since March 2024, when 42 percent shared the same view.
About a quarter said they provide a “minor benefit,” while 15 percent said they do not provide any benefit at all, the survey found.
Over 4 in 10 U.S. adults, 42 percent, said that legal migrants taking jobs that Americans do not want is a “major benefit” to the country. Over a third, 37 percent, said that it is a “minor benefit,” while 21 percent said there’s no benefit at all.
Independents and GOP voters are more likely to say they want to tamp down legal immigration, when compared to Democratic Party voters, according to the poll. Still, a smaller share of Republicans think that immigration should be reduced compared to earlier this year.
The survey was conducted from Sept. 11-15 among 1,183 Americans. The margin of error was 3.8 percentage points.
