Poll: Most Texas voters oppose border wall But voters support National Guard patrols

United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen speaks to the local news media against the backdrop of the border wall this month in Hidalgo, Texas. The new head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security says she hopes construction on a border wall will begin soon. (Joel Martinez/The Monitor via AP) less United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen speaks to the local news media against the backdrop of the border wall this month in Hidalgo, Texas. The new head of the U.S. Department ... more Photo: Joel Martinez, MBI Photo: Joel Martinez, MBI Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Poll: Most Texas voters oppose border wall 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

More Texas voters oppose building a border wall with Mexico than support the idea, a new poll released Thursday shows.

But at the same time most Texans back the idea of sending the National Guard to patrol the border, the Qunnipiac poll of 1,029 Texas voters shows.

The results show voters' views on immigration issues don't line up perfectly with either political party, said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll.

"They agree with Democrats in their opposition to President Donald Trump's wall," Brown said. "But, by a wide margin, they support the Republican president's plan to send the National Guard to that border to stop illegal immigration."

The polls showed that 60 percent of Texans support sending the National Guard to the border while just 37 percent opposed the idea. On the border wall, 53 percent opposed the idea, while 43 percent support the idea.

Other immigration issues also show how both parties don't line up perfectly with voter attitudes. About 79 percent of respondents said undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children - the so-called Dreamers - should be allowed to stay and apply for citizenship. Just 15 percent oppose them staying and eventually applying for citizenship.

But voters still believe illegal immigration is a big problem. About 73 percent said undocumented immigrants crossing the border is an important problem, with just 25 percent disagreeing.

The wide ranging poll also asked key questions on legalization of marijuana, gun laws and abortion.

Texans on key issues in new poll Quinnipiac University has released a new poll of 1,029 Texas voters and their attitudes on several issues. Here are some of the results. Question: Do you support or oppose allowing undocumented immigrants who were brought to the

U.S. as children to remain in the United States and eventually apply for citizenship? Support: 79 percent Oppose: 15 percent Don't Know/NA: 6 percent Question: Do you support or oppose building a wall along the border with Mexico? Support: 43 percent Oppose: 53 percent Don't Know/NA: 4 percent Question: Do you support or oppose using the National Guard to patrol the border with Mexico? Support: 60 percent Oppose: 37 percent Don't know/NA: 3 percent Question: Do you support or oppose stricter gun laws in the United States? Support: 55 percent Oppose: 41 percent Don't know/NA: 4 percent Question: Do you support or oppose allowing adults in Texas to legally possess small amounts of

marijuana for personal use? Support: 61 percent Oppose: 34 percent Don't know/NA: 6 percent

Overall 61 percent of Texas voters support allowing adults to possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use, while 34 percent oppose the idea.

On gun laws, 94 percent support requiring background checks to all gun buyers and 55 percent support stricter gun laws in general in the U.S.

On abortion, 20 percent of Texas voters say abortion should be legal in all

cases and 37 percent say it should be legal in most cases. But 26 percent say abortion should

be illegal in most cases while 12 percent say it should be illegal in all cases.

The statewide poll of Texas is the first ever by Quinnipiac University, which has been polling in battleground states like Ohio, Virginia and Florida for more than a decade. On Wednesday they released additional results that showed the U.S. Senate race is too close to call and Gov. Greg Abbott leads either of the two Democrats running in a primary run-off to determine who will battle him in the fall.

The polling also showed only 43 percent of Texans in the poll said they approved of the job Trump was doing.

The poll was conducted from April 12 to April 17.

Jeremy Wallace writes about state politics and government for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter at @JeremySWallace.