Most, but not all, Americans willing to help both Afghan refugees and Americans displaced by extreme weather

by CRAIG HELMSTETTER | Nov. 16, 2021

A strong majority of American adults, roughly 4 in 5, think that “the U.S.” should now help Afghans who assisted U.S. troops. A virtually identical proportion think “the U.S.” should help Americans who lost their homes in recent floods, hurricanes and wildfires.

But when asked about supporting charitable efforts to resettle the two displaced groups in “your community,” some opinions change: an even higher proportion—93%—support helping displaced Americans in this way, but a lower majority—76%—support helping Afghan refugees settle in their community.

As discussed in greater detail below, the reasons Americans give for supporting or opposing local settlement of Afghan refugees on the one hand, and Americans displaced by extreme weather on the other, range from charitable and religious motivations, to a sense of obligation, to prioritizing unmet domestic needs over those of foreign nationals.

Additionally, Americans’ political affiliations appear connected with their willingness to help, especially when it comes to settling outsiders in their local communities.

Reasons for supporting the local resettlement of Afghan refugees and Americans displaced by extreme weather

The October Mood of the Nation poll asked respondents to tell us their reasonings behind why support or oppose the relocation of Afghan refugees and Americans displaced by extreme weather events into their local communities.

In examining the reasons for supporting local resettlement efforts for Afghan refugees, two themes emerged. Many respondents expressed universal values of charity, but many more felt a strong sense of obligation and debt to Afghans who put their lives in danger by assisting U.S. troops and officials as translators, drivers, gathering intelligence, and the like. Explanations for opposing efforts to locally resettle Afghan refugees largely reflected two related themes: solving America’s domestic problems first, and a more general opposition to immigration.

“They help us in the war so we can at least help them.” – 40-year-old male respondent from Louisiana.

“They are refugees and they are allies as they were America’s help overseas. Now they need help and America should be their help.” – 24-year-old female respondent from Michigan.

“Help the homeless people in America first.” – 57-year-old female respondent from Georgia

Those supporting local resettlement of fellow Americans displaced by extreme weather most often cited a straightforward desire to help. The relatively few who were opposed mentioned things like self-sufficiency, the possibility that insurance or the government should cover such efforts, and a desire to for displaced Americans to regain their housing in their own areas.

Read several additional examples of respondents’ reasoning in their own words in the detailed report.

Another way of understanding the divergence in support for local resettlement of Afghan refugees versus Americans who had lost their homes to extreme weather is to systematically analyze the survey responses of different groups. The most notable difference to emerge from that analysis follows lines of pollical affiliation.

For example, support for the efforts of charities and religious organizations to locally settle displaced persons is extremely high among Democrats, 90% in the case of Afghan refugees and 98% in the case of American victims of fire and floods.

Support among Republicans is notably lower, with 61% supporting the local resettlement of Afghan refugees while 89%--a still large but lower proportion than Democrats-- support local resettlement of displaced Americans. The 29-percentage point difference between Democrat and Republican support for local resettlement of Afghan refugees may reflect a greater desire, on the part of some Republicans, to address the problem without bringing Afghan refugees into nearby areas.

Strong majorities of Americans indicate that the U.S. should help Afghans who worked for U.S. troops as well as Americans displaced by extreme weather

A strong majority and virtually identical proportions of American adults support the statement that the U.S. should help Afghans who assisted U.S. troops (83%) as well as the statement that the U.S. should help Americans who lost their homes in recent floods, hurricanes and wildfires (81%).

The major finding when comparing results across several demographic groups: A strong majority of all demographic groups support U.S. help for both Afghans who had assisted American troops and for Americans who have lost their homes to extreme weather.

The largest difference in levels of support across both questions follows political lines with Democrats supporting U.S. help for Afghans by a margin of 8 percentage points more than Republicans, and by a 10-percentage point margin in the case of American extreme weather victims.

The proportion of Democrats supporting help for Afghans is statistically tied with the proportion of Democrats supporting extreme weather victims. This is also the case for both Independents and Republicans.

Other findings include:

• A higher proportion of men support helping Afghan refugees (82%) than support U.S. assistance for victims of extreme weather (75%).

• A higher proportion of women than men support helping American victims of extreme weather (87% versus 75%).

• A larger proportion of both younger adults, ages 18 to 29, and older adults, age 65 or older, support helping Afghan refugees (88% for both age groups) than is the case for those ages 30 to 44 (76%).

  • Among those age 65 or older a large majority – 88% -- support U.S. assistance for Afghans who had worked with American troops; a smaller majority – 72% -- support U.S. assistance for Americans who have lost their homes due to extreme weather.

• A larger majority of Black adults (92%) than White adults (79%) indicate support for assisting victims of extreme weather.

• A larger majority of those with at least a bachelor’s degree (89%) than those with a high school diploma or less education (79%) indicate support for helping Afghans.

• 90% of those who say that religion is “not at all important” to them believe that the U.S. should help Afghans who had assisted American troops, compared to 79% of those who say religion is “very important” to them.

• A somewhat larger majority of those living in Northeastern states indicate support for helping those displaced by severe weather (89%) than is the case among those living in the South (81%), the Midwest (79%), or the West (79%).

A large majority of Americans would support charities and religious organizations working to settle Afghan refugees into their communities; an even larger majority would support local resettlement of Americans displaced by fires and floods

About 3 in every 4 Americans indicate that they would support charities and religious organizations committed to helping Afghan refugees settle in “your community.” An even higher proportion, over 9 in 10, indicate they would be supportive of such efforts on behalf of Americans who lost their homes to fires and floods.

The 17-percentage point difference in results for the two questions perhaps reflects the greater comfort that some Americans have with more Americans as opposed to Afghans settling in their local community.

The major finding when comparing results across several demographic groups: Over 70% of most groups would support charities and religious organizations working to settle Afghan refugees in their local area; 90% or more of nearly all groups would support such work on behalf of Americans displaced by fire and floods.

The biggest difference in support for non-governmental work to encourage local settlement of Afghan refugees and displaced Americans is between Democrats and Republicans.

While a majority of those identifying with either party would support the efforts of charities and religious organizations, the support is extremely high among Democrats, 90% in the case of Afghan refugees and 98% in the case of Americans displaced by fire and floods. Support among Republicans is notably lower, only 61% support the local settlement of Afghan refugees while 89%, a still large proportion, support local settlement of displaced Americans.

Overall there is a seventeen percentage point difference in support for local resettlement of Afghan refugees (76% support) versus displaced Americans (93%). That gap in support is especially large, 28 percentage points, among Republicans, but relatively narrow, 8 percentage points, among Democrats.

Other findings include:

• Younger adults, ages 18 to 29, would support efforts to locally settle Afghan refugees at a higher rate than those ages 30 to 44 (82% compared to 70%), but the two age groups are virtually identical in their support for local resettlement of displaced Americans.

• A notably higher proportion of those with at least a bachelor’s degree support local resettlement of Afghan refugees than is the case for those with a high school diploma or less education (83% compared to 68%).

• 70% of those who say religion is very important to them would support the work of charities and religious organizations to settle Afghan refugees in their local communities, but a notably higher proportion, 85%, of those who don’t value religion at all indicate they would support these efforts.

Majorities of Americans are willing to contribute to efforts to relocate Afghan refugees and Americans displaced by fires and floods into their local communities

Over two-thirds of Americans indicate that they would be willing to personally contribute to the efforts of charities and religious organizations working to resettle Afghan refugees in their local communities. Even more—four-fifths—of Americans indicate that they would be willing to volunteer time or donate their resources to efforts to bring displaced Americans to their local communities.

The twelve-percentage point difference may reflect the greater comfort that some Americans have in resettling displaced Americans as opposed to Afghan refugees in their local areas.

The major finding when comparing results across several demographic groups: Over 60% of most groups would contribute to efforts of charities and religious organizations working to settle Afghan refugees in their local area; 75% or more of nearly all groups would support such work on behalf of Americans displaced by fire and floods.

As with other forms of support for the two displaced groups—Afghan refugees and Americans who have lost their homes to fires and floods—the starkest difference between groups of Americans follows political lines.

A somewhat larger proportion of Democrats than Republicans indicate a willingness to contribute to efforts to relocate other Americans into their local communities. When it comes to contributing to the local resettlement of Afghan refugees, there is a larger 30 percentage point spread, with 83% of Democrats and 53% of Republicans indicating that they would volunteer, donate, or both.

A notably smaller majority of Republicans indicate that they would contribute to efforts of charities and religious organizations to settle Afghan refugees into their communities than would contribute to such efforts on behalf of displaced Americans (53% compared to 76%).

Other findings regarding personal contributions to local resettlement of the two displaced groups include:

• A somewhat larger majority of women than men indicate a willingness to contribute to the local resettlement of both Afghan refugees (71% versus 66%) and displaced Americans (84% versus 76%).

• A somewhat larger majority of Black Americans than White Americans are willing to contribute to the local settlement of Afghan refugees (74% compared to 67%).

• Somewhat larger majorities of those with a bachelor’s degree than those with a high school diploma or less education indicate a willingness to contribute to the local resettlement of both Afghan refugees (75% versus 61%) and displaced Americans (83% versus 76%).

• Among those who say that religion is “very important” to them, a notably higher majority say that they would contribute to the efforts of charities and religious organizations to resettle displaced Americans than Afghan refugees into their local communities (80% compared to 63%).

PARTNER FOR THIS SURVEY

The McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State promotes scholarship and practical innovations that defend and advance democracy in the United States and abroad. Through teaching, research, and public outreach, the Institute leverages the resources of Penn State and partners around the world to foster a model of deliberation, policymaking, and responsiveness that is passionate, informed, and civil.

The Institute’s Mood of the Nation poll offers a unique approach to public opinion polling. It allows Americans to speak in their own words through open-ended questions that focus on emotions like anger and hope, as well as commitment to constitutional principles.

Thoughts? Questions?

We want to hear from you! Leave us a message below.

…or email us at info@apmresearchlab.org