Tea Borders Party First" Republicans Approach Favor When should legal undocumented immigrants be a allowed to When apply should for legal undocumented status?
On border security, timing is everything, but there are divisions within the Republican ranks. Republicans and Democrats are on opposite sides of the issue when it comes to whether securing U.S. borders must precede allowing undocumented immigrants to seek legal status. A majority (56%) of Republicans say improved border security must come first, while 60% of Democrats say providing a path to legal status can occur while border security is being beefed up.
Fully 67% of Tea Party Republicans say undocumented immigrants should only be able to apply for legal status after effective control over the border has been established. Among non-Tea Party Republicans only 47% express this view.
Tea Borders Party First" Republicans Approach Favor  | Tea Borders Party First" Republicans Approach Favor  | When should legal undocumented immigrants be a allowed  | to When apply should for legal undocumented status?  | While border Only after  | improvements being borders effectively are  | improvements are being  | effectively controlled  | effectively controlled  | made  | Total  | 49  | 43  | Tea Party Rep  | 27  | 677  | Non-Tea Rep  | 47  | 47  | Independent  | 47  | 43  | Cons/Mod Dem  | 53  | 42  | Liberal Dem  | 74  | 23  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER/USA TODAY June 12-16 2013, 