Polls Find Widespread Opposition to Separating Families in Key House Districts
Constituents in TX-7, FL-26 and NJ-7 Want Their Representatives to Stop Separations; Increase Accountability
06.19.18 – Today, Equity Forward released three new polls of the views of constituents of Carlos Curbelo (FL-26); Leonard Lance (NJ-07) and John Culberson (TX-07) on the Trump Administration’s new “zero tolerance” policy that separates migrant children from their parents.
The polls found that voters — including a significant number of Republicans and Trump supporters — strongly support Congressional action to stop this new policy and to increase the accountability and transparency of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) — the office within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) tasked with overseeing the housing and wellbeing of the thousands of children separated from their parents as a result of this unprecedented policy. Across all three Districts, more than 70% of likely constituent voters were concerned with the policy and there is broad agreement that the policy is inhumane.
View the Full Polls & Memos HERE.
“Each of these three members sit on powerful committees with broad oversight responsibilities for the agencies tasked with implementing this inhumane policy,” said Mary Alice Carter, Executive Director of Equity Forward. “Instead of fulfilling their constitutional duty to provide oversight of the Administration, they’re just sitting back and doing nothing — making them complicit in a reckless policy that separates innocent babies and children from their families. It’s time for Congress to wake up, do its job and hold the Administration accountable.”
Equity Forward will hold a press conference call to discuss the poll’s findings today, Tuesday June 19th at 1:00pm Eastern.
Dial-In:
1 (888) 862-6557 Audience US Toll Free
1 (630) 691-2748 Audience US Toll
Confirmation Number: 47157964
Below please find highlights from each poll:
- Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) Three-quarters of voters (78%) say they are concerned about this policy, including 50% of self-described Conservative Republicans and 55% of voters with a favorable view of Trump.
- Leonard Lance (NJ-07) Three-quarters of voters (74%) support Congress acting to increase the accountability and transparency of ORR and HHS regarding these offices role in the separation of migrant children from their parents.
- John Culberson (TX-07) Three-quarters of voters (74%) say they are concerned about this policy, including 52% of self-described Conservative Republicans and 52% of voters with a favorable view of Trump. Voters oppose this policy by a 28-point margin.
While DHS is in charge of separating children from their families, ORR, an HHS office, is actually housing the thousands of separated children in conditions that are being likened to internment camps and prisons. ORR is not only underfunded and ill-equipped to care for these children, the agency is headed by Scott Lloyd, a veteran anti-abortion activist with no meaningful experience dealing with vulnerable populations. Lloyd has previously been rebuked by the courts for violating the civil rights of those in his care.
For complete polling, visit Equity Forward’s website HERE.
###