Our expert research provides trusted, balanced insight and analysis on US foreign policy and America’s global engagement and advances policy solutions on critical global issues.
Americans support some variation of immigration reform, but half overstate unauthorized immigration levels to the US, which intensifies bias against Mexican immigrants.
In May 2013, Americans' overall views of Mexico were at their lowest point ever in Chicago Council Survey history, and relatively few Americans are aware that Mexico is a top US trading partner.
Americans show clear concern about North Korea’s nuclear capability and consider preventing the spread of nuclear weapons as a highly important US foreign policy goal.
While the midwestern public is somewhat divided on specific reforms, those who have accurate information about shifting immigration flows and changing labor needs express majority support for key immigration policy proposals.
Energy independence is seen as very important bymore Americans than preventing nuclear proliferation, combating international terrorism, and maintaining superior military power worldwide
For the first time since the question was first asked by the Council in 1994, only a minority (40%) of Americans consider a large influx of immigrants and refugees a “critical threat” to the United States
The 2012 Chicago Council Survey tracks public opinion on US foreign policy since the September 11 attacks, and includes an assessment of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
