This project explores citizen reactions to immigrant protests and the major legislative proposals on immigration reform being debated in Congress. The objectives of the research is to understand how the beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of black people, white people, and second generation Hispanics are similar and different, to understand how the beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of ordinary people about immigration and immigrants, and to understand how mid-level business owners and managers discuss the issue. This study, which uses focus groups, dovetails with data collected on the 2000-2004 American National Election Study, which has several relevant questions about immigration and foreign policy.
The project advances the study of American politics and the social sciences more broadly by increasing our knowledge of citizens' perceptions of immigration policies and immigrants. This data can help policymakers formulate new public policies and explain existing ones. The study also promises to enhance our understanding of race relations, the reach of nationalistic racist propaganda, and could possibly debunk racial, ethnic, and social class stereotypes. This study also has the potential to enhance our understanding of the immigration issue and how it is changed in light of current demographics and debates.
