POLL RESULT: Should wealthy foreigners be allowed permanent residence in the United States?

English attorney Christopher Preston is a successful foreigner who lives part-time on Marco, but would love to retire here full-time and buy a house. But, like many other would-be residents, he is stymied by Immigration and Naturalization Service laws that grant green cards only to people establishing businesses (and employing Americans), or to people with desired occupations. We ran his article (click on Related Stories, left, to read it) and then decided to poll readers on his points.

We gave four options:

1. People like him, yes (6 votes);

2. Yes, with stringent background checks (25 votes);

3. No, the laws are in place, and should be upheld (95 votes); and

4. Maybe, but on a case-by-case basis only (9 votes).

By March 12, 135 people had voted, and the vast majority (70 percent) chose option No. 3: No, the laws are in place, and should be upheld.

Just 4 percent agreed that people like Preston should be granted permanent residence, while 18 percent voted for stringent background checks.

As for the case-by-case option, just 6 percent of voters agreed with that.

Thanks for participating.