Most Californians back more deportations; nearly half support travel ban, survey finds

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Gov. Brown battles President Trump over National Guard role

California governor sending hundreds of troops to the Mexican border, but there's a catch; Peter Doocy reports from Washington.

An overwhelming majority of Californians want to deport more illegal immigrants, and nearly half support President Trump's travel ban aimed at reducing terrorism, according to a new survey from the University of California at Berkeley's Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society.

But in reporting the findings of the statewide December 2017 survey, the Haas Institute on Wednesday appeared to put a liberal spin on some of the results.

For example, the headline of its news release reads, "Majority of Californians oppose border wall, support racial inclusion."

But the actual data say that in California, "66 percent reject the idea that the U.S.-Mexico border wall is an important immigration policy priority" -- not that they oppose the wall entirely.

And results also demonstrate that only 54 percent -- or slightly more than half -- of Californians "have positive views of Muslims," and only 51 percent "oppose banning people from majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States."

Meanwhile, "59 percent find it important to increase deportations of those here without documentation." Nearly 80 percent, however, support a pathway to citizenship for so-called Dreamers, and "67 percent think undocumented immigrants should be able to purchase health insurance on the California state exchange."

The Haas Institute concedes in its news release that "Californians hold some contradictory and troubling views."

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Its suggested fix: "[O]utreach and information campaigns anchored in narratives that point Californians towards their shared progressive values and identity."

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But the results show that many Californians already have a sense of identity and values, outreach campaign or not. For example, 45 pecent of Californians said that being Christian is an "important part of being American," and nearly 40 percent don't want to limit law enforcement cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, according to the survey.

The survey comes as several California cities and counties back the Trump administration's lawsuit against the state's pro-illegal immigration sanctuary policies.

"Californians hold some contradictory and troubling views."

— The Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society at UC Berkeley

On Wednesday, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced plans to deploy “up to 400” members of the state's National Guard troops “to combat” criminal activity along the U.S.-Mexico border — after President Donald Trump slammed the Democratic leader a day earlier for “trying to back out” of an earlier pledge to do so.

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Brown issued an order that the National Guard be sent to help “combat criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers — within the state, along the coast and at the U.S.-Mexico border.”

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But the governor sent military personnel on the condition that “the California National Guard will not enforce immigration laws or participate in the construction of any new border barrier.”

Brown's office also said the Trump administration would pick up the tab for the California deployment, the Los Angeles Times reported.

For his part, Trump tweeted Wednesday that Californians are tiring of their government.

"There is a Revolution going on in California," he wrote. "Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept. Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW!"

The complete Haas Institute survey is available by clicking here.