While the two major political parties remain divided over providing undocumented immigrants a pathway to U.S. citizenship, a majority of Americans have made their preference known.

Overall American Sentiment:

With certain requirements required, most Americans, with 72 percent, said undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. should legally stay in the country. Based on Pew Research Center's latest survey, when the 72 percent is broken down, 42 percent said they support immigrants' right to apply for citizenship, while the remaining 26 percent prefer immigrants apply for permanent residency.

Although 2 percent of Americans were not sure, 27 percent said undocumented immigrants should not be allowed to stay in the U.S.

The views of undocumented immigrants have shifted and not for the better. Slightly more than half of the Americans -- 51 percent -- polled said immigrants strengthen the country through their hard work and talents. Other Americans, with 41 percent, said immigrants are a "burden because they take jobs, housing and health care."

"Overall, most Americans reject the idea that giving those who came to the U.S. illegally a path to legal status is in essence 'rewarding' them for bad behavior," the report noted, adding the socioeconomic status of respondents also swayed opinion as 35 percent of non-college graduates favor cutting levels of legal immigration compared to 25 percent from college graduates and 18 percent with post-graduate degrees.

Latinos' View of Undocumented Immigrants:

Overall, Latinos overwhelmingly believe undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. should stay in America, but 14 percent disagreed. The study identified the Latino respondents from those born in and outside the U.S.

Regardless of where the Latinos were born, the majority prefer undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. Specifically, 93 percent of foreign-born Latinos said undocumented immigrants should stay in the U.S., while 79 percent of U.S.-born Latinos agreed with the questionnaire. Only 7 percent of foreign-born Latinos said undocumented immigrants should not stay in the U.S., but 27 percent of U.S.-born Latinos also agreed with the sentiment.

Most whites said undocumented immigrants are a burden to the country, and 16 percent of Latinos agreed. Latinos, regardless of where they were born, said immigrants strengthen the country -- with 79 percent, especially 92 percent from foreign-born Latinos.

According to the report, more foreign-born Latinos participated in the poll than U.S.-born. The report's unweighted sample size for foreign-born Latinos was 132 compared to 114 of U.S.-born Latinos.

Millennials:

With millennials -- the largest generation in the U.S., which the White House categorized as Americans born between 1980 and mid-2000s -- the majority also support a pathway to legal status, with 81 percent from 18-to-29-year-old survey respondents. Most millennials, with 53 percent, prefer providing a pathway to citizenship than 27 percent for permanent residency. Eighteen percent of millennials said undocumented immigrants should not be allowed to stay legally.

According to the report, more foreign-born Latinos participated in the poll than U.S.-born. The report's unweighted sample size for foreign-born Latinos was 132 compared to 114 of U.S.-born Latinos.

Political Party Differences:

Based on political ideologies, most Democrats, with 80 percent, believe undocumented immigrants should stay in the U.S. if certain requirements are met. A majority of Independent voters, with 76 percent, agreed with Democrats, but the same support from Republicans was not as overwhelming. Fifty-six percent of Republicans said undocumented immigrants should stay in the U.S.

Democrats and Independents were in the majority stating immigrants strengthen the U.S, with 62 percent and 57 percent, respectively. Only 27 percent of Republicans believe immigrants strengthen the U.S. through their hard work. Sixty-three percent of Republicans stated immigrants are a burden to the country.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, based on a 2012 report, 11.5 million "unauthorized" immigrants live in the U.S. as of January 2011.

The Pew Research Center poll was conducted between May 12 and May 18 with 2,002 adults participating.

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