Public Reactions to Immigration in the U.S.: The Effects of Intergroup Contact and Political Orientation

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigated people’s reactions to Muslim and Latinx immigrants in the U.S. participants with positive intergroup contact and who were politically liberal showed less intergroup anxiety, less realistic and symbolic threat, and more willingness to help immigrants. The frequency of contact and immigration issue salience were associated with the willingness to help. When participants perceived the source of a pro-immigration message to be trustworthy, they reported less realistic threats and more willingness to help. Participants had differential response to Latinx and Muslim immigrants. While participants associated more realistic threats with Latinx immigrants, more symbolic threat was associated with Muslim immigrants.