Far more people around the world would like to see immigration decrease than increase, at least in 27 countries polled by Pew.
By the numbers: Support for increasing immigration ranges from just 2% in Greece and Hungary to 28% in Spain. In the U.S., 29% want immigration reduced, 24% want it increased and 44% want it to stay the same.
- Japan, which has historically had low levels of immigration but faces a severe demographic crisis, is among the most open to increasing immigration. However, as in Canada and South Korea, a majority favors keeping immigration at current (relatively low) levels.
- Majorities in 12 countries, meanwhile, want to see immigration reduced. They include Russia, Israel, South Africa, Italy and Sweden.
Driving the news: Representatives of 164 countries gathered in Morocco today to sign the first-ever global migration accord. The pact, which is not legally binding, calls for a more orderly and humane approach.
- The U.S. was at one point the only holdout, but a number of other countries — including Australia, Austria and Hungary — also declined to sign. Belgium's government did sign up and lost its parliamentary majority in a resulting split in the coalition.