Majority of White Evangelicals View Racial Diversity and Immigration as a Threat to America

By Derek Welch --
31 Oct 2018 --

They are the sole group in this survey to think this way.

In the 9th edition of the American Values Survey, Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) revealed white evangelical Protestants constitute the sole demographic in the United States where the majority regards immigrants as inimical to American values. The survey is done every year. The report comes at a time when the midterm elections are only a week away.

Majority of White Evangelicals View Racial Diversity and Immigration as a Threat to America[/tweetthis]

The survey scooped up data from a total of 2,509 adults scattered across 50 states. The margin of error could be a maximum of 2.8 points. The research shows white evangelical Protestants are different from other religious groups on a number of issues like the #MeToo movement, race, and immigration.

The difference of opinion is stark between white evangelicals and other groups. About 68 percent in this group continues to hold a favorable view of President Donald J. Trump. In contrast, negative views of the Trump administration are held by 75 percent of those who describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated, 80 percent of the surveyed black Protestants, and 74 percent of surveyed Hispanic Catholics. President Trump also got a thumbs down from white Catholics and mainline Protestants.

The data also showed that immigrants and immigration are most opposed by white evangelicals, along with strong conservative views on issues like abortion and gay marriage. When it comes to the survey asking the question as to how the respondent views the U.S. being a nation where whites will be a minority in 2045. 54 percent of white evangelicals view this realignment as a negative development. In comparison, 51 percent of the surveyed white mainline Protestants and white Catholics, 81 percent of the surveyed Hispanic Catholics, and 80 percent of the surveyed black Protestants view the future as a positive one.

When questioned about immigration, only the white evangelical Protestants (57 percent) were the sole religious group to majorly state that immigrants bring the chance of derailing American values and customs. The same anti-immigrant view was stated by 48 percent of the white mainline Protestants and 47 percent of the white Catholics. The opposite stance was taken by black and Hispanic Protestants. 67 percent of surveyed black Protestants and about 76 percent of the Hispanic Catholics expressed the opinion that the U.S. is being strengthened by immigration. The data also found out that white evangelical Protestants were the group who have no problem with the Trump policy of separating immigrant families from their children at the United States-Mexico border.

If this data is true, which we have no reason to deny it, its findings reveal some troubling matters.
Why are #evangelicals so nationalistic?
Big line in article: “Trump’s immigration agenda is the white evangelical #immigration agenda.” ??‍♂️https://t.co/HfkrpZhzEW
— Aaron Reyes (@areyes) October 31, 2018