AP/Ipsos poll: designed to mislead about illegal immigration?

The AP breathlessly announces the results of their latest poll: "Poll: Most Open to Letting Immigrants Stay":

Overall, 56 percent of Americans favor offering illegal immigrants a shot at some kind of legal status; roughly two-thirds of those ages 18-34 like the idea and an equal share of those with a college education agree, the AP-Ipsos survey found.

The results are available here. Let's turn to the question that was asked:

"Would you favor or oppose allowing immigrants with jobs who are in the United States illegally to apply for legal, temporary worker status?"

As pointed out before, poll questions like this are misleading (Time Magazine poll: Large Majority Favors "Guest Workers", Do Californians really support "guest" worker schemes?)

Most people would tell you that - yes! - they like free ice cream. However, if you listed all the assumptions involved that would make that ice cream quite costly, they'd say no.

Likewise with questions about "guest" workers. Since our "guests" will never leave, poll questions like this are quite misleading and are probably just attempts to mislead.

Comments

We all know that temporary guest workers means permanent workers here. They try and fool the people into thinking that these people will be going back home in a few years. We all know that that is not true and everyone should be made aware of it. Here in Calif. we already can't build schools fast enought to keep up with all the added kids because of illegal and legal immigration. Who will pay for all of this? Too bad Congress doesn't think about that for a change.