How to Build Support for More Welcoming Refugee and Asylum Policies? Get to Know a Refugee.

• Support for Refugee and Asylum Policies Increases When Voters Personally Know a Refugee
• A Majority of Voters Support Faster Work Permit Processing for Asylum Seekers
• Majority of U.S. Likely Voters Support Refugee Program, Access to Asylum at the U.S. Border

WASHINGTON—As U.S. immigration policy is becoming an increasingly polarizing issue ahead of the November 2024 U.S. elections, one factor in particular produces elevated support for more welcoming refugee, asylum, and asylum seeker workforce policies: personally knowing someone who is a refugee. 

A new poll released today from Data for Progress, the Refugee Advocacy Lab, and Refugees International asked likely voters about their support for the U.S. refugee resettlement program, access to asylum at the border, and a legislative proposal that would reduce wait times for asylum seekers to access work permits. 

In an A/B split test, the poll asked likely voters whether they would support or oppose Congressional legislation to reduce the wait time before asylum seekers are eligible to work legally to 30 days. The split questions explained how current U.S. law requires people seeking asylum in the United States to wait six months or more before they are eligible to work legally. When provided with a general context of the law, 60 percent of likely voters said they were supportive of the proposal. Support for this proposal rises to 80 percent for people who report that they personally know someone who is a refugee. 

A bipartisan legislative proposal, the House Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act, is the central focus of the Let Asylum Seekers Work campaign led by the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Refugee Advocacy Lab, and Refugees International. 

“Asylum seekers are here and want to work to support themselves and fill needed jobs. This is a common sense solution for American communities, especially if they’ve seen first hand the unnecessary burden the six month waiting period imposes on people seeking refuge and those who welcome them,” said Refugees International’s Director for the Americas and Europe Yael Schacher. “Our campaign has rallied a strong and diverse coalition among business leaders, faith leaders, local elected leaders, and others calling for this change—and now we know that a strong majority of voters agree: it’s time to let asylum seekers work.” 

The poll also shows that a majority of U.S. likely voters support the U.S. refugee resettlement program (63 percent) and U.S. policy that allows people to seek asylum at the U.S. southern border (52 percent). Support for the refugee resettlement program climbs to 80 percent (a 17 percentage point increase) and support for access to asylum grows to 64 percent (a 12 percentage point increase) among people who personally know a refugee. However, fewer than one in five (17 percent) of people polled said that they personally know someone who is a refugee. 

“When people understand the impacts of forced displacement on a human level—through friendships, the workplace, and community connections with people who have come here seeking safety—support for welcoming policies completely transforms,” said Refugee Advocacy Lab Executive Director Kate Brick. “As these issues become more polarized—and misinformed—in the public debate, there is a tremendous opportunity to build support for the U.S. legacy of welcoming by making sure that more people get to know a refugee. If only 17 percent of people currently know someone, imagine what public sentiment would look like if that number was much higher?” 

The findings are consistent with previous polls by Data for Progress, the Refugee Advocacy Lab, and Refugees International in 2023 that showed a majority of U.S. likely voters support  the U.S. resettlement program and access to asylum at the border, as well as an increase in support consistent across party lines when voters report that they personally know someone who is a refugee.  

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Etant Dupain at edupain@refugeesinternational.org.