Misinformation About Immigrants in the 2024 Presidential Election

As a part of KFF’s ongoing effort to determine and monitor misinformation within the U.S., the newest KFF Well being Misinformation Monitoring Ballot examines claims about immigrants which have circulated through the 2024 presidential election cycle. Whereas immigration has been a frequent matter of the marketing campaign, the political discourse surrounding immigrants usually overlooks the views and experiences of immigrants themselves. To handle this hole, this report contains new insights from a survey of immigrants along with views among the many common public. This analysis builds on the 2023 KFF/LA Occasions Survey of Immigrants, which discovered that enormous shares of immigrants are confused and fearful about utilizing authorities profit applications. A companion situation transient gives key information about immigrants’ well being care use and prices.

Key takeaways from this report embody:

Many of the public has heard or learn claims – together with false claims – about immigrants from elected officers or candidates as a part of the marketing campaign. Performed earlier than the September 10 presidential debate, the survey discovered that enormous majorities of adults throughout partisans say they’ve heard false statements from candidates and elected officers that immigrants are “inflicting a rise in violent crime within the U.S.” (80%) and that “immigrants are taking jobs and inflicting a rise in unemployment for folks born within the U.S.” (74%). A majority of adults (69%) additionally report listening to the true declare from candidates and elected officers that “immigrants assist fill labor shortages in sure industries like agriculture, building, or well being care,” although far fewer (31%) report listening to the true declare that “undocumented immigrants pay billions of {dollars} in U.S. taxes annually.”
Relating to the truthfulness of those claims about immigrants, a majority of adults are within the “muddled center,” saying the claims are both “most likely true” or “most likely false.” For instance, greater than half (56%) of adults total say the false declare that “immigrants are inflicting a rise in violent crime within the U.S.” is both “most likely true” (28%) or “most likely false” (28%), whereas about one in 5 every say this declare is “positively true” (23%) or “positively false” (20%).
Regardless of many adults falling within the “muddled center,” there are sturdy partisan divides within the public’s perceptions of the truthfulness of those claims, with Republicans extra possible than Democrats to say false claims about immigrants are “positively true.” For instance, about 4 in ten (45%) Republicans say it’s “positively true” that immigrants are inflicting a rise in violent crime within the U.S., whereas the same share (39%) of Democrats say this declare is “positively false.” Conversely, Democrats are extra possible than Republicans to say every of the true claims about immigrants is “positively true.”
Amid former President Trump’s false claims that undocumented immigrants drain federal profit applications and obtain free authorities well being care, many U.S. adults, in addition to immigrants themselves, are confused about whether or not and when immigrants can qualify for applications like these. Throughout partisanship and immigration standing, about half or extra U.S. adults and immigrant adults say they’re both not sure or incorrectly imagine that the majority immigrants to the U.S. are eligible to enroll in federal medical health insurance applications, together with Medicare and Medicaid, as quickly as they arrive within the U.S. Below longstanding federal coverage, most lawfully current immigrants, with some exceptions, are typically ineligible to enroll in federal profit applications like Medicaid till they’ve resided within the U.S. for a minimum of 5 years. Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for federally funded medical health insurance applications.
Practically 4 in ten (36%) immigrant adults say the best way former President Trump has talked about immigrants in his marketing campaign has had a detrimental impact on how they’re handled as immigrants within the U.S., rising to 45% amongst Asian immigrant adults. Those that say they’ve been negatively affected by Trump’s rhetoric level to his function in instigating violence, racism, and discrimination towards immigrants. Most (72%) immigrants say that the best way Vice President Harris has spoken about immigrants in her marketing campaign has not affected how they’re handled, but maybe in a nod to her heritage, three in ten (30%) Asian immigrant adults say the best way Harris speaks about immigrants has had a optimistic impact on how they’re handled.
Greater than twice as many immigrant adults say that immigrants will probably be higher off underneath a Harris (55%) presidency than a Trump presidency (19%), however about one quarter (26%) say who the president is makes no distinction within the lives of immigrants. About seven in ten (73%) immigrants who determine as Democrats or lean in direction of the Democratic social gathering say immigrants will probably be higher off underneath Harris whereas practically half (46%) of Republicans and Republican-leaning immigrants say the identical about Trump.
Just like U.S. voters total, immigrants who’re residents and registered to vote identify the economic system and inflation (39%) and threats to democracy (24%) as their high voting points on this yr’s presidential election. About one in ten (9%) immigrant voters say immigration and border safety is their high situation.

The Public’s Publicity to and Perception in Claims About Immigrants

Immigrants and immigration have been a central situation of the 2024 presidential marketing campaign. The Trump marketing campaign has repeatedly described immigrants as a supply of crime, a burden for taxpayers, and a drain on authorities applications like Medicare and Social Safety. The Harris marketing campaign has additionally targeted on immigration, emphasizing her powerful on crime stance as a former lawyer common of a border state, whereas additionally highlighting her household’s immigrant roots. Fielded earlier than the September 10 presidential debate, the newest KFF Well being Misinformation Monitoring Ballot requested the general public about true and false claims about immigrants which have circulated through the campaigns. 

False claims about immigrants are pervasive, with giant majorities of adults saying they’ve heard or learn statements from candidates or elected officers that “immigrants are inflicting a rise in violent crime within the U.S.” (80%) and that “immigrants are taking jobs and inflicting a rise in unemployment for folks born within the U.S.” (74%). A majority of adults (69%) additionally report listening to the true declare from candidates or elected officers that “immigrants assist fill labor shortages in sure industries like agriculture, building, and well being care,” although far fewer (31%) report listening to that “undocumented immigrants pay billions of {dollars} in U.S. taxes yearly.” The shares who report listening to or studying these claims are comparable throughout partisans, however fewer Republicans than Democrats have heard the true declare about undocumented immigrants paying billions in taxes (23% vs. 38%).

As with different types of misinformation, many adults are usually not sure what to imagine with regards to campaign-related statements about immigrants, with a majority falling within the “muddled center,” saying the claims are both “most likely true” or “most likely false.” General, greater than half (56%) of adults say the false declare that “immigrants are inflicting a rise in violent crime within the U.S.” is both “most likely true” (28%) or “most likely false” (28%). The same sample exists on the false declare about immigrants inflicting a rise in unemployment for U.S.-born staff (27% “most likely true,” 30% “most likely false”) and the true declare that undocumented immigrants pay billions of {dollars} in U.S. taxes (27% “most likely true,” 32% “most likely false”). For the true declare about immigrants filling labor shortages in key industries, total, about half of adults fall within the center, however extra adults are inclined to say it’s “most likely true” (44%) than “most likely false” (11%).

Public perceptions of the truthfulness of those claims are sharply divided alongside partisan strains, with Republicans extra possible than Democrats to imagine false assertions that immigrants are inflicting will increase in violent crime and unemployment. About 4 in ten (45%) Republicans say the false declare about immigrants and violent crime is “positively true,” whereas the same share (39%) of Democrats says this declare is “positively false.” There’s additionally a large partisan hole in perceptions of the false declare that immigrants are taking jobs and contributing to unemployment for U.S.-born adults, with about three in ten (31%) Republicans saying that is “positively true,” whereas about 4 in ten (46%) Democrats say that is “positively false.”

Partisans additionally differ of their stage of certainty about two true claims about immigrants. For instance, sizeable shares of each Democrats and Republicans are inclined to imagine the true declare that immigrants assist fill labor shortages in sure industries, as a minimum of three quarters from each events say this declare is a minimum of “most likely true.” Nevertheless, Democrats are stronger than Republicans on this conviction, as a bigger share say it’s “positively true” (55% vs. 21%). Few Democrats or Republicans are sure concerning the truthfulness of the true declare that “undocumented immigrants pay billions of {dollars} in U.S. taxes yearly,” as a minimum of half of adults from each events say this assertion is both “most likely true” or “most likely false.” Nonetheless, on this true declare, Republicans are extra possible than Democrats to say it’s “positively false” (43% vs. 13%).

Data About Immigrants’ Eligibility and Use of Federal Profit Applications

Immigrants and immigration are key speaking factors of former President Donald Trump’s marketing campaign in addition to many different Republican candidates and elected officers. He and others have regularly made false statements about immigrants, together with that undocumented immigrants are receiving free well being care from the federal authorities, immigrants are “killing” Social Safety and Medicare, and that immigrants obtain an outsized share of presidency advantages. The most recent KFF Well being Misinformation Monitoring Ballot asks each most of the people in addition to immigrants themselves their data on immigrants’ eligibility and use of federal advantages.

About half of U.S. adults total (51%) and immigrant adults (49%) incorrectly imagine undocumented immigrants are eligible for medical health insurance applications paid for by the federal authorities or say they’re “undecided.” About three in ten adults total (29%) and immigrant adults (32%) say they’re “undecided” whether or not undocumented immigrants are eligible for medical health insurance paid for by the federal authorities and about one in 5 of every group (21%, 17%) incorrectly say undocumented immigrants are eligible. The opposite half of U.S. adults (49%) and immigrant adults (51%) appropriately say undocumented immigrants are usually not eligible for federal medical health insurance applications. Amongst U.S. adults total, Republicans are extra possible than Democrats to incorrectly imagine undocumented immigrants are eligible for federal medical health insurance applications (30% vs. 18%). Below federal coverage, undocumented immigrants are ineligible to enroll in federal medical health insurance applications like Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP, or to buy protection by means of the ACA Marketplaces. As of June 2024, six states plus D.C. present totally state-funded medical health insurance protection to some income-eligible immigrant adults no matter standing. Nevertheless, these applications are totally paid for by state funds.

About half or extra U.S. adults and immigrant adults both incorrectly imagine most immigrants are eligible to obtain advantages like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Safety as quickly as they arrive within the U.S. or say they’re not sure. Below longstanding federal coverage, most lawfully current immigrants, with some exceptions, are typically ineligible to enroll in federal profit applications like Medicaid, till they’ve resided within the U.S. for a minimum of 5 years (see KFF’s companion situation transient on well being care use amongst immigrants for extra info). To qualify for Social Safety and Medicare, lawfully current immigrants should meet all eligibility necessities, together with work and age necessities, which preclude new immigrants from enrolling. About three in ten U.S. adults total (31%) and one third of immigrant adults (32%) incorrectly imagine most immigrants are eligible to obtain advantages from Medicaid as quickly as they arrive within the U.S., whereas a minimum of a 3rd of every group (33%, 38%) are not sure. There are comparable ranges of confusion over Medicare eligibility, with 58% of all U.S. adults and the identical share of immigrant adults answering incorrectly or being not sure. About half of U.S. adults total (53%) and immigrant adults (45%) appropriately say immigrants are usually not eligible for Social Safety advantages as quickly as they arrive within the U.S., although about half in every group both reply incorrectly or are not sure. General, comparable shares of U.S. adults and immigrants are confused about immigrants’ eligibility for these federal advantages no matter their partisanship or citizenship standing, respectively, however a better share of U.S. adults who’re Republican mistakenly imagine immigrants are instantly eligible for Medicaid in contrast with Democrats (40% vs. 31%).

Most (59%) U.S. adults incorrectly imagine that on common, immigrants obtain extra in authorities advantages than they pay in taxes, whereas most (66%) immigrant adults appropriately say the alternative: that immigrants pay extra in taxes than they obtain in authorities advantages. Amongst each U.S. adults total and immigrant adults, there are stark variations by partisanship on this query. About eight in ten (84%) Republican U.S. adults incorrectly imagine immigrants obtain extra in authorities advantages on common than they pay in taxes, whereas a majority (61%) of Democrats appropriately say the alternative. Amongst immigrant adults, most partisans appropriately reply that immigrants pay extra in taxes than they obtain in authorities advantages, however Democrats and Democratic-leaning immigrants are extra possible than Republicans and Republican-leaners to reply appropriately (71% vs. 58%). Maybe in a mirrored image of their very own ineligibility for a lot of authorities advantages, about eight in ten (78%) immigrant adults who’re non-citizens are conscious that immigrants pay extra in taxes than they obtain in authorities advantages, whereas a smaller majority (57%) of immigrant residents say the identical. Evaluation exhibits undocumented immigrants contribute billions in federal, state, and native taxes annually, serving to to fund applications they can not entry, together with Social Safety and Medicare. Analysis additional finds that immigrants pay extra into the well being care system by means of taxes and medical health insurance premiums than they make the most of, serving to to subsidize well being take care of U.S.-born residents.

How Immigrants Have Been Affected by the Marketing campaign

Practically 4 in ten (36%) immigrant adults say the best way former President Trump has talked about immigrants in his marketing campaign has had a detrimental impact on how they’re handled as immigrants within the U.S., rising to 45% amongst Asian immigrant adults. General, about half of (54%) immigrant adults say Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants has not had an impact on how they’re handled, whereas an extra one in ten (10%) say it has had a optimistic impact. There are not any substantial variations in responses amongst immigrant adults by citizenship standing nor by English proficiency in how they are saying Trump’s immigrant rhetoric has affected them.

Most (72%) immigrants report that Vice President Harris’s marketing campaign statements about immigrants have had no impact on how they’re handled, however maybe in a nod to her heritage, about three in ten (30%) Asian immigrant adults say her statements have had a optimistic impact. General, about one in 5 (21%) immigrant adults say they really feel the best way Harris has talked about immigrants in her marketing campaign has positively affected the best way they’re handled as immigrants within the U.S., whereas far fewer (7%) say Harris’s statements have had a detrimental impact on how they’re handled.

A majority of immigrant adults say that immigrants could be higher off underneath a Harris (55%) presidency in comparison with a Trump presidency (19%), however about one quarter (26%) say who the president is makes no distinction within the lives of immigrants. Immigrant partisans are divided on this query. About three quarters (73%) of immigrant Democrats and Democratic-leaners say immigrants will probably be higher off underneath Harris, whereas about one in 4 (24%) Republicans and Republican-leaning immigrants say the identical. Whereas about 4 in ten (46%) of immigrants who’re Republican or lean Republican say immigrants could be higher off underneath Trump, about three in ten (29%) say it makes no distinction who’s president.

Immigrant Voters’ Priorities

Immigrants who’re residents and registered to vote prioritize comparable points and are equally motivated to vote within the presidential election as U.S. voters total. About half of immigrants to the U.S. are naturalized residents and subsequently eligible to vote in U.S. Amongst these voters, about half (53%) say they’re extra motivated to vote this yr in comparison with earlier presidential elections, much like the share of all U.S. voters who say the identical (59%).

Immigrant voters additionally prioritize the same record of points as U.S. voters total, with the economic system and inflation (39%) and threats to democracy (24%) topping the record of points these voters say are most necessary to their presidential vote. About one in ten (9%) citizen immigrant voters say immigration and border safety is their high situation, adopted by Medicare and Social Safety (8%), abortion (5%), and the warfare in Gaza (5%). Partisan splits on these points are additionally much like U.S. voters total, with a bigger share of Republican and Republican-leaning immigrant voters in comparison with Democrats/Democratic-leaning immigrant voters prioritizing the economic system and inflation (51% vs. 32%), and bigger shares of Democrats vs. Republicans prioritizing threats to democracy (35% vs. 3%) and abortion (7% vs. 1%).