Most of the likely participants in Iowa’s Republican and Democratic caucuses, the first major electoral event of the nominating process for president, favor legalizing undocumented immigrants in the United States, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday.

Among Republicans, 51 percent saying undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay. Of them, 34 percent support a path to citizenship and 17 oppose it.

Among Democrats, 83 percent say undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay and apply for citizenship, while 9 percent say they should stay, but with no path to citizenship.

“Ideas that are part of Democratic orthodoxy are an anathema to Republicans, and vice versa. Democrats think illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the United States and eventually become citizens. Republicans don’t,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

Quinnipiac University surveyed more than 1,400 likely Iowa Republican and Democratic Caucus likely participants.