This survey showed that opinion was split on whether these unaccompanied minors should be treated as refugees or undocumented immigrants.
Introduction
The arrival of a "surge" of Central American minors on the US-Mexico border generated intense media coverage as authorities apprehended more than 68,000 children between October 2013 and September 2014, double the number from the previous year.
Key findings
Public opinion polls conducted in July, at the height of the influx, showed that much of the public was following the issue and opinion was split on whether these unaccompanied minors should be treated as refugees or undocumented immigrants. But Chicago Council Surveys conducted both before (May) and after (October) the surge show little effect on a twenty-year-long trend of decreasing public concern over immigration.
