Americans more positive toward immigration

Gallup:

President Barack Obama's decision not to deport young people who came to the U.S. illegally as children comes at a time when Americans' views toward immigration are much more positive than they have been in recent years. Currently, 66% say immigration is a "good thing" for the U.S. today, up from 59% last year and one percentage point off the high of 67% in 2006.

America is a land of immigrants, and Americans are cool with it! Yet despite a concerted effort to ratchet up opposition by the nativist Right (most recently and vividly seen during the GOP presidential primary), they are failing to garner much support.

In fact, they are going backwards, with Americans now more eager to focus on undocumented immigrants currently in the United States, as opposed to just building more fences (which can be thwarted by, you know, ladders).

The apparent softening toward immigration is also evident in a separate question that finds a shift in Americans' immigration priorities. The poll finds 55% saying the main focus of immigration policy should be to deal with immigrants in the U.S. illegally, while 41% believe it should be halting the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S. In Gallup surveys dating back to 2006, Americans consistently preferred that the U.S. concentrate its efforts on stopping illegal immigration.

And perhaps most amazing of all, even Republicans are feeling more charitable to those who make cheap food and services possible. In just one year, Democrats who think immigration is good for the country have increased 15 points, from 61 to 76 percent. But Republicans aren't far behind, from 53 to 62 percent'a 9-point increase.

And on the matter of whether to focus on building fences or dealing with immigrants inside the U.S., Democrats were +10 over the last year, from 55 to 65. Republicans, however, showed an even bigger increase'from 32 to 47 percent, or +15.

All this fits in nicely into President Barack Obama's decision last week to protect the DREAM kids'the children of undocumented immigrants who currently face deportation despite having lived in the United States for most of their lives. And it does explain, to some extent, the muted reaction from right-wing circles.

The power of the Latino vote and the growth of that community is undoubtedly on the mind of Republican strategists. But as the numbers above show, the politics of the immigration issue go far beyond the Latino community.