GOP voters support the executive actions in principal, but  oppose them once they're linked to the president.
    At first glance, the battle over immigration reform seems like    nothing newjust one more example of partisan gridlock. But new    research from Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) shows    that President Obamas actions on immigration are broadly    popular, particularly when they are not identified with him.    The survey also shows why GOP strategists would do well to    advise against a partisan showdown on this terrain. By catering    to their most conservative voters, congressional Republicans    risk not only opposing policies supported by the mainstream of    their own party but also undermining efforts to reach out to    the growing number of Hispanic voters who will be key to    successes in 2016 and beyond.  
    On February 18, President Obamas executive action expanding    the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will    go into effect. One of its central provisions will allow    immigrants living in the country illegally, but who are the    parents of children with legal status, to remain in the United    States. They can stay for up to three years, if they pass a    background check and have been in the country for at least five    years. Obama took this action after bipartisan, comprehensive    immigration-reform legislation passed in the Senate but    repeatedly stalled in the House of Representatives.  
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    It is truly remarkable that an issue like immigration reform,    which enjoys     such broad support among the public, has become so mired in    politics. PRRIs most     recent surveyreleased this weekfinds that roughly    three-quarters (76 percent) of Americans support the specifics    of Obamas executive action allowing the parents of children    with legal status to stay in the country for up to three years    if they meet certain requirements. Just one in five Americans    (19 percent) is opposed to this policy. Moreover, this policy    enjoys strong majority support across partisan and religious    lines. 87 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of independents, and    67 percent of Republicans support this policy, as do majorities    of Catholics (76 percent) and white evangelical Protestants (68    percent).  
    Support for the central provisions of the DREAM Act is    similarly broad. Nearly seven in ten (68 percent) Americans    favor allowing illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as    children to gain legal resident status if they join the    military or go to college, including 79 percent of Democrats,    66 percent of independents, and 60 percent of Republicans.  
    However, the survey also found strong evidence of the power of    partisanship at work among rank and file Americans. The survey    split the sample into two demographically identical groups. The    first group simply received the executive action on immigration    and DREAM Act policy questions; the second group received the    same verbatim questions, with a twistthe proposal was    identified as Obamas policy. The findings show a significant    Obama Effect across both questions.  
    The "Obama Effect" Among Republicans (Percent Who    Favor)  
    When there is no mention of Obama, two-thirds (67 percent) of    Republicans favor allowing illegal immigrants who are parents    of those with legal status to avoid deportation if they meet    certain requirements. But when Obama is linked to the policy,    support among Republicans drops 16 points to 51 percent.    Support among independents also falls 13 points when Obama is    linked to the policy, from 77 percent to 64 percent. Among    Democrats, there is no statistically significant effect in    support.  
    The Obama Effect is even more pronounced in attitudes about    the DREAM Act. When Obama is not identified with the policy,    six in ten (60 percent) Republicans favor allowing illegal    immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to gain legal    resident status if they attend college or join the military.    Once Obama is identified with the policy, Republican attitudes    invert: Support plummets 23 points to only 37 percent, while    opposition rises to nearly 6-in-10 (58 percent).  
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Even Republicans Love Obama's Immigration Policies