65% of likely Pa. voters support immigration overhaul, poll shows

In Washington, senators are debating an overhaul of the American immigration system.

In Philadelphia, supporters of comprehensive immigration reform presented new data showing that legislation has support from a large majority of likely Pennsylvania voters.

Sixty-five percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania told pollsters they support a bill like the one in the Senate right now; 19 percent said they were opposed.

“I am optimistic that our senators will hear and see the support shown by these numbers and respond by voting for this very important legislation,” said Natasha Kelemen of the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition.

Patience Lehrman, an immigrant from Cameroon, is the director of SHINE, a project at Temple University that provides support to elderly immigrants.

“I want you all to join me this morning and ask our senators and our congressmen, and let them know that this is the time, that now is the time.”

National polling was paid for by a coalition of the Alliance for Citizenship, Partnership for a New American Economy and Republicans for Immigration Reform.

Even the contentious issue of offering a path to citizenship for people living in the country illegally gets support from 76 percent of Pennsylvanians polled.