According to the most recent Pack Poll, 55 percent of NC State students are in favor of accepting Syrian refugees in North Carolina.
Following the terrorist attacks in Paris on Nov. 13, many citizens and politicians have debated whether or not the United States should allow Syrian refugees. While President Barack Obama announced in September that the U.S. will accept 10,000 Syrian refugees during the next year, 31 U.S. governors, including North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, asked the president to not send refugees into their states.
The Pack Poll invited 4,038 students to participate in the survey. The survey had a 26 percent response rate, with 1,038 students completing the survey.
Students were asked one of two questions: (1) “What is your attitude about allowing Syrian refugees to come into North Carolina?” (2) “Republican Governor Pat McCrory is asking the Obama administration to cease sending refugees from Syria to North Carolina. What is your attitude about allowing Syrian refugees to come into North Carolina?”
The first question received slightly less support overall, with 54 percent of students in support of Syrian refugees being relocated in North Carolina.
• Twenty-nine percent of students said they believe the state should encourage Syrian refugees to come, even if it means raising the country’s immigration quotas.
• Twenty-five percent of students said they believe the state should encourage Syrian refugees to come, but do not believe immigration quotas should be raised.
• Twenty-nine percent of students said they believe that with conditions as they are now, Syrian refugees should not be allowed in North Carolina.
• Sixteen percent of students said they do not have opinion on the subject.
The second version of the poll found that students were more likely to express their opinions on the issue when McCrory and Obama were mentioned, with 57 percent of students in support of Syrian refugees being relocated in North Carolina.
• Thirty-two percent of students said they believe the state should encourage Syrian refugees to come, even if it means raising the country’s immigration quotas.
• Twenty-four percent of students said they believe the state should encourage Syrian refugees to come, but do not believe immigration quotas should be raised.
• Thirty-three percent of students said they believe that with conditions as they are now, Syrian refugees should not be allowed in North Carolina.
• Ten percent of students said they do not have opinion on the subject.
Overall, the study found that NC State students differ with the American opinion on the topic of Syrian refugee relocations in the U.S., as 55 percent of NC State students are in support of North Carolina accepting refugees. A Bloomberg poll conducted Nov. 16 and 17 found that 53 percent of Americans oppose accepting Syrian refugees into the U.S. Twenty-eight percent supported resettling 10,000 refugees without religious screening. Eleven percent said the U.S. should resettle only Christian refugees from Syria, and 8 percent said they are not sure what the best approach is.
