2006 Nebraska Rural Poll Reports

The fifth of the 2006 Nebraska Rural Poll reports was released on November 13. In an earlier Nebraska Rural Poll report (August 2006), rural Nebraskans were asked their opinions of newcomers in general to their community. Some parts of rural Nebraska have seen significant growth of a specific group of newcomers, Latin American immigrants. How do rural Nebraskans view recent immigrants from Latin America? How do they view various immigration policies? Do their views differ by community size, the region in which they live, or their education level? This report details 2,482 responses to the 2006 Nebraska Rural Poll, the eleventh annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans' perceptions of current issues and conditions. Respondents were asked a series of questions regarding immigrants from Latin America and immigration policies. Comparisons were made among different respondent subgroups, that is, comparisons by age, occupation, region, etc.  Based on these analyses, some key findings emerged.

For more detailed results, view the complete report.

• Many rural Nebraskans are aware of recent Latin American immigrants living in their community.
• Many rural Nebraskans support allowing undocumented workers who have been working and paying taxes for five years or more to apply for citizenship.
• Most rural Nebraskans express agreement with policies that try to prevent illegal immigration.
• Opinions are mixed on creating a "guest worker" program.
• Many rural Nebraskans disagree with policies that grant citizenship or other benefits to young undocumented immigrants.
• Most rural Nebraskans are concerned with recent immigrants learning to speak English within a reasonable amount of time.
• Approximately one-half of rural Nebraskans do not see immigration from Latin American as being positive for rural Nebraska.
• Opinions are mixed on the reception Latin American immigrants receive from rural Nebraskans.
  

Previous 2006 Rural Poll Reports

• Perceptions of Well-Being Among Rural Nebraskans
• Views of Life in Nebraska's Rural Communities
• Newcomers in Nebraska's Rural Communities.
• Making a Living in Rural Nebraska.