A recent poll found that a large majority of Americans disapprove of the federal government’s approach to the southern border. The survey came out just weeks after it was revealed that 2023 saw the highest number of attempted migrants in American history, including more than 300,000 alone in December.
The most recent Pew Research Center poll showed that about 80% of the public disapproved of the federal government’s border policy. Furthermore, the majority of the public described the current situation as either a crisis or a “major problem,” including a majority of Democrats. Furthermore, more than two-thirds of GOP voters called the current situation at the border a crisis.
However, there were significant partisan differences regarding the current issue and how to approach it. Democrats sought an increase in immigration judges, while more Republicans supported the building of a border wall. Among GOP voters, 72% said they supported such a barrier, as compared to 15% of Democrats.
About half of Democrats also said that they did not think such a wall would make a major difference, while almost a quarter said that it would make the issue worse.
A number of recent events may have impacted public opinion on the migrants. This includes a beating attack in which a group of migrants attacked several New York Police Department (NYPD) officers in Times Square. In a separate incident, a migrant minor shot a tourist, also in Times Square, and attempted to flee the city.
The national poll also mirrors a number of statewide polls on the subject. Even in Massachusetts, which has allowed in thousands of migrants and regularly votes for the Democratic Party, a majority disagrees with using public funds to house migrants.
Majority of Massachusetts voters oppose using public funds to house migrants: Poll https://t.co/Fb86TnvT6Z https://t.co/Fb86TnvT6Z
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 17, 2024
Polling has found similar results in New York State. New York City has received more than 170,000 migrants over the past two years, straining the city’s resources. The city government announced significant budget cuts last year due to the ongoing influx of migrants.
