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POLL SHEDS LIGHT ON CALIFORNIANS' FEELINGS ON MEXICAN IMMIGRATION
Five years after California voters passed Proposition 187, an initiative that included many provisions that restrict rights for immigrants, feelings about immigration in the Golden State appear to be changing. While there is some significant variation in responses from different ethnic groups on some issues, there are a few core issues on which there appears to be general agreement.
When asked whether Mexican immigrants are a benefit to the state, a slim majority of people responded positively. Latinos were the most likely to see Mexican immigration as a benefit (70%), followed by African Americans (55%), Asians (52%) and non-Hispanic whites (42%). By voting characteristic, the breakdown was Republicans (35%), Democrats (57%) and independent voters (55%).
When asked whether illegal immigration from Mexico to California has been a big problem since 1994, only 44% say yes. Forty percent see it as somewhat of a problem, and 14% don't see it as a problem at all. 
Few people of any ethnic background feel the governments border control policy has made any significant difference in preventing illegal immigration, with only 13% saying the efforts have made a big difference, and 51% saying it's made some difference. Thirty-five percent of people responding felt it made no difference.
Most people also agree on the need to educate illegal immigrant children. Only about one in five people felt there was no need to educate these children, a rate of response that was the same across ethnic boundaries.