The sanctuary movement in the U.S. – the cities, counties and states that refuse to cooperate with the federal government in the prosecution and deportation of illegal aliens – is extensive, with some estimates saying 300 cities take part.

But a new poll finds that only one in four Republicans and unaffiliated voters favor living in such a community. A full 40 percent of all voters think "sanctuary communities are less safe than communities that do not protect illegal immigrants from federal authorities."

The results come from a new Rasmussen poll conducted March 22-23.

The margin of sampling error is plus or minute three percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence.

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In November, a Rasmussen poll found 50 percent of voters said the U.S. Justice Department "should take legal action against cities that provide sanctuary for illegal immigrants."

The same poll discovered "52 percent still want to cut off federal funding to sanctuary cities."

The new results were reported Friday.

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"The rape of a 14-year-old girl in a Maryland suburban high school by two older students who were in this country illegally has moved the sanctuary city debate back on the front burner," Rasmussen said.

"Most voters don’t want to live in a community that shields illegal immigrants from the government, and many question the safety of such communities. Elected officials in many communities have declared themselves sanctuaries for illegal immigrants, refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, and 35 percent of likely U.S. voters favor the community they live in declaring itself a sanctuary community. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 52 percent oppose their community declaring itself a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. Fourteen percent are undecided."

Rasmussen said a plurality, 48 percent, of Democrats favors living in a sanctuary community, but "only 27 percent of both Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major political party agree."

Four in 10 say communities that practice sanctuary activism are "less safe" than others, and historically, at least dating back to 2007, "most voters have favored punishing sanctuary cities."

"New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., are among the numerous cities that now refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities," Rasmussen said.

Among the different response groups, Rasmussen said: "Women worry less than men do about the safety of sanctuary communities but are only slightly more willing to live in one. Voters under 40 are twice as likely as their elders to be undecided whether their community should declared itself a sanctuary. "

Significantly, "Other minority voters are more strongly opposed to living in a sanctuary community than whites and blacks are."

Three of five Republicans believe sanctuary communities are more dangerous. And 64 percent of all voters who oppose their community becoming a sanctuary consider sanctuaries less safe.

Only 28 percent say Washington is doing enough to stop illegal immigration.

Other key points:

Eight-one percent want mandatory deportation for illegal aliens convicted of a felony, and 65 percent support a five-year mandatory prison term for those who return to America after being booted for major felonies.

Most voters think President Trump will cut the number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S., although they're divided on the wall.

And 58 percent say Mexico should pay at least some of the costs of the wall.

WND reported this week the Department of Homeland Security released its first "Weekly Declined Detainer Outcome Report" documenting jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

For the period Jan. 28 through Feb. 3, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said there were 206 illegals whom sanctuary jurisdictions refused to turn over. There was a convicted arsonist protected by Los Angeles and a murder suspect protected in Philadelphia. The allegations or convictions ran the range from domestic violence, drunken driving, drug offenses and sexual or aggravated assaults to rape and indecent exposure.

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The reporting is part of a new effort by Trump to crack down on illegals in the United States. The president has vowed to strip federal funding from communities that refuse to follow federal law.

A Justice Department document already outlines authority to halt at least three federal grant programs under such circumstances.

Federal officials said the report was ordered under Trump's executive order "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States," signed Jan. 25.

It is to be issued weekly to "highlight jurisdictions that choose not to cooperate with ICE detainers or requests for notification, therefore potentially endangering Americans."

In some cases, the numbers may not be accurate because of the high level of protection local officials provide to illegals, the report said.

"In uncooperative jurisdictions like Cook County, Illinois, and the City of Philadelphia, ICE is barred from interviewing arrestees in local custody. Therefore, in these communities a large number of criminals who have yet to be encountered by ICE are arrested by local authorities and released in these communities without any notification to ICE," the report said.

The report said the locations with the highest volume of ignored detainers issued were Clark County, Nevada, with 51; Nassau County New York, with 38; and Cook County, Illinois, with 13.