Siena poll: Most New Yorkers support making it easier for migrants to work, using federal land for shelters

A new Siena poll has found that 59% of people support making it easier for migrants currently in the state to be granted work authorization.

Also, 56% of those surveyed support using federally owned land for temporary shelters for the migrants currently in New York.

The poll of 800 residents also found that 48% of New Yorkers disagree that immigrants take in more resources than they return in economic activity. Also, 61% disagree that many people trying to immigrate to the U.S. just want free handouts from the government and 53% say that many of the current immigrants are not the source of illegal drugs entering the country.

The poll showed a partisan divide as a majority of 69% of Republicans agreed with the statement that immigrants take more in resources than they return in economic activity compared with 29% of Democrats

Don Levy, director of the Siena College Research Institute, said most of those surveyed believe that the migrants do not pose a threat.

“Despite concerns that some New Yorkers have about the recent influx of migrants, 84% of all New Yorkers agree that most of the current migrants only want to build a better life for themselves and their family and 69% agree that America should continue to live by the words written on the Statue of Liberty: ‘Give me your tired, your poor….”