According to a new survey of the San Joaquin Valley conducted by the Institute for Leadership and Public Policy at Fresno State, 7 out of 10 voters support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The findings in the report are based on a random sample of registered voters from the San Joaquin Valley. The survey was conducted Feb 5 through 15, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percent.

“There are clear differences across party lines,” said Dr. Jeff Cummins, co-director of the Institute for Leadership and Public Policy. “Nearly all Democrats (93 percent) support the DACA program, along with more than 3 out of 4 Independents, or those who express no party preference (76 percent). In contrast, less than a majority of Republicans (42 percent) support the program.”

The survey results also show that across racial and ethnic groups, non-white groups are the most supportive of the program. Eighty-six percent of Latinos and 68 percent of non-white, non-Latinos, which includes blacks and Asians, indicate support for DACA. Sixty-one percent of whites said they support the program.

When asked if they knew someone who would be affected if the DACA program is terminated, slightly more than half (54 percent) indicated they know someone affected. Independent voters were the most likely to say they knew someone affected (64 percent), followed by Democrats (58 percent) and Republicans (42 percent). The results of this question also vary considerably by race and ethnicity. Nearly three quarters of Latinos said they know someone affected by DACA, while 43 percent of whites and 41 percent on non-white, non-Latinos responded they know someone.

The full report of the findings on this topic can be found on the Institute for Leadership and Public Policy website.

For more information, contact Dr. Jeff Cummins at 559.278.6693 or Dr. Lisa Bryant at 559.278.7612 or 559.512.0124.