A new national survey of Latino Protestant registered voters assesses their views on immigration and the 2008 election. This growing voting bloc reported viewing immigration as a key factor in influencing their vote- on par with abortion and more important than gay marriage. Many respondents said immigration issues have a big influence on their choice of candidate, and that they consider immigration to be a faith issue.

The NALEO Educational Fund poll was based on a bilingual telephone survey of 1,600 Latino voters in Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Nevada, conducted Aug. 18 through Sept. 10, 2008. According to the poll, Latino voters are growing in numbers in important swing states such as Nevada, Colorado, Florida and New Mexico, where 46 electoral votes are in play. Turnout is expected to be high among Latinos, with nearly 90 percent of poll respondents saying they are “almost certain” to vote.

Immigration is a top priority for Latinos surveyed in the National Survey of Latinos. Those surveyed preferred Sen. Barack Obama, D-Il., over Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., 66 percent to 23 percent. The poll also found that 49 percent of respondents said the Democratic Party has more concern for Hispanics, while 7 percent said the same of the Republican Party.

By consistently strong majorities, Americans support comprehensive immigration reform. In 2009 as in previous years, voters want the President and Congress to advance a solution that legalizes the undocumented workforce, requires them to pay taxes, levels the playing field for workers and employers, and restores the rule of law. The same was true in the run-up to the 2008 elections, when swing voters chose candidates who offered practical solutions to the broken immigration system over those who offered just empty rhetoric. Following is a snapshot of recent opinion polls on immigration reform.