Variations in the Influence of Race, Politics, and COVID-19 on Immigration

• In Event: Poster Session: Representation and Electoral Systems & Public Opinion and U.S. Politics
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Public Opinion and U.S. Politics

Abstract

This study seeks to find out if racial sentiment toward immigrants still matters in the United States with COVID-19 present. It is argued that previous studies on immigration and racial attitudes did not consider how health-related pandemics influence public opinion on immigration and the racial attitudes of people during severe health-related pandemics. In doing so, this paper hypothesizes that respondents' racial sentiment towards immigrants during this pandemic will influence their views on opposing immigration; those that believe the president handled cases on COVID-19 better are more likely to oppose immigration; and party affiliation affects respondents' views on immigration and COVID-19. For testing these hypotheses, the 2012, 2016 and 2020 American National Election Studies data was used. In accordance with the expectations of this study, it was observed that there was a statistically significant relationship between all my estimated models. This paper concludes that racial sentiment toward immigrants still matters even more in the United States, especially with the existence of health-related pandemics.

Author

• Cindy Osei Agyemang, West Virginia University