1 In 3 Would Deny Illegal Aliens Services

A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll finds one-third of Americans want to deny services, including public schooling and emergency room healthcare, to illegal aliens. A majority -- 60% -- favors a path to citizenship for illegals who have not committed crimes.

The poll also found that illegal immigration is less a concern than the Iraq war, the economy, protecting the country from terrorist attacks and health care.

The poll also makes clear that respondents make a distinction between legal and illegal immigrants:

Asked if illegal immigrants had made a positive or negative contribution to their community, 36% said negative, whereas 21% said positive and 29% said the effect was not discernible.

When the same question was asked about legal immigrants, 12% said their contribution was negative, compared with 46% who said positive and 31% who saw no discernible effect.

Only 22% said that illegal aliens should be able to get limited driver's licenses. That finding explains why many leading Democrats opposed licenses for illegals when it was proposed by New York Democratic Governor Eliot Spitzer. It also helps explain why Hillary's failure to give a straight answer about Spitzer's unpopular plan has cost her the lead in Iowa.