UC Riverside

Objective: We investigate the question: How should immigrants pursue policy in a system that privileges majority rule? Scholars suggest that opinion backlash impedes policy gains by marginalized groups. That is, pushing too hard for policy leads to backlash, a sharp and sustained negative reaction among citizens that delays these groups’ ability to obtain their desired policy. Methods: Examining immigration, we develop and test two plausible alternatives to backlash: opinion elite cues and opinion stability. We use experimental and observational data. Results: We find no evidence of backlash. Instead, we find modest evidence attitudes move in the direction of the cues provided by party elites. Conclusion: Immigrants and other marginalized groups should pursue rights without fear of opinion backlash.