3 Things to Know: Nearly 3 in 4 Republicans Support Biden’s Immigration Measures, Gen Z Optimistic on Facial Recognition Tech

by | May 15, 2023

CivicScience continually tracks current and anticipated consumer trends. Here are three key insights marketers should know this week. All insights are derived from the CivicScience Social | Political | Economics | Cultural (SPEC) Report, a weekly report available to clients, covering the latest news and insights to help brands better understand consumer behavior and how to communicate with consumers. Get in touch to learn more.

1. More than 70% of Republicans support the Biden Administration’s stricter measures for asylum seekers.

With the lifting of the pandemic-era immigration restrictions known as Title 42 last week, national attention has turned to the southern border of the U.S. Concerns about illegal immigration have grown in recent weeks, with 44% of American adults now expressing that they are “very concerned,” a 10 percentage point increase since the midterm elections in November.

The Biden administration is implementing new measures designed to reduce the number of immigrants seeking asylum in the United States – a move intended to cut down on illegal border crossings while increasing legal avenues. Although immigration is a highly partisan issue, a majority of consumers of both major political parties support the new rules. However, Republicans (71%) are more likely to back the changes than Democrats (58%) or Independents (63%).

The divide between Democrats and Republicans on the new immigration policy is highlighted by their differing views on how to curb illegal immigration. For example, data show strong Republicans are more likely to support ‘improving border security and technology’ (72%), while only 37% of strong Democrats agree. In contrast, a majority of strong Democrats (58%) support a ‘pathway to citizenship for undocumented persons already in the country’, a view shared by just 12% of strong Republicans. Additional data on this topic is available in this week’s SPEC Report.

2. Gen Z is more optimistic about the impacts of facial recognition technology.

Whether it’s mobile devices, social media or public security measures, facial recognition technology has a prominent presence in society today that’s only likely to grow in the years ahead. It’s a presence that Americans have generally felt leery about. In a prime example of this increasing prominence, the TSA recently locked in on facial recognition, rolling out new facial recognition technology at American airports. 

CivicScience data indicate that current opinions on facial recognition technology are divided, with 33% of U.S. adults expecting a net positive impact on society in the future and 39% anticipating a negative one. Among age groups, Gen Z adults are the most optimistic, with 44% expecting a more positive outcome and only 21% expecting a more negative one. In contrast, Gen Xers are the most pessimistic about the technology.

3. In-person workers are more open to pick up packages if it means a cash rebate.

Amazon is now incentivizing customers to pick up their orders by offering $10 for doing so, instead of having their orders delivered to their homes. According to new CivicScience data, 30% of online shoppers would ‘often’ utilize such a service that offers a rebate for picking up their orders. Over half (52%) say their decision to use the service would depend on the item or the rebate amount, while 18% are not interested in trying it at all.

Online shoppers who work exclusively in-person are the most inclined to use a ‘pickup for rebate service’ frequently, with 32% expressing interest – a figure that’s 11 percentage points higher than that of partial or fully remote workers. However, a significant proportion of respondents indicate that their decision would hinge on the item they ordered or the amount of rebate they receive for picking it up.

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