The American Public’s Views about Legal Immigration: The Case of the Diversity Visa Lottery Program

Abstract

This study assesses contemporary attitudes toward the Diversity Visa Lottery program. Specifically, we examine the public’s views about the Diversity Visa Lottery, an immigrant visa program that was criticized by former President Donald Trump. Using a data set that approximates a nationally representative sample of U.S. residents, we found evidence that those who voted for Donald Trump in 2016, those who did not vote for president in 2016, those who identified as conservative/very conservative, and older citizens favor eliminating the Diversity Visa Lottery program. On the contrary, Blacks, the more highly educated, and those who identified as very liberal/liberal oppose eliminating the Diversity Visa Lottery program. The implications of our findings for group relations, policy, and future research are discussed.