A new poll conducted exclusively for Newsweek reveals that just 20 percent of American voters believe the United States has control over its external borders, marking a significant decrease from the 34 percent who held this belief in August 2023. The issue of irregular immigration has taken center stage in recent years, with over 9.8 million migrant encounters recorded between October 2019 and January 2024 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Texas Governor Greg Abbott reported that 507,200 suspected undocumented migrants were detained in his state since 2021 as part of Operation Lone Star. The survey of 1,500 eligible voters, conducted on April 11, found that 63 percent believe the U.S. does not have control over its borders, with 53 percent of Joe Biden voters from 2020 expressing this sentiment.
The same poll also asked voters about their satisfaction with the government’s approach towards illegal immigration, revealing that 52 percent were either “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied,” while only 21 percent expressed satisfaction. The survey also indicated that the issue of illegal immigration is likely to be a key topic in the November presidential election, with polling data showing a significant increase in the number of respondents citing immigration as America’s most important problem compared to previous months. The failure of a $118 billion bipartisan immigration bill in February further underscored the challenges of addressing the nation’s immigration issues comprehensively, according to Thomas Gift of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London.
The spotlight on illegal immigration has led to heightened tensions between the Biden administration and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, with the Supreme Court ruling in favor of federal agents removing razor wire placed along the Texas-Mexico border by Abbott. The governor has described the situation as an “invasion” and invoked the state’s “constitutional authority to defend and protect itself.” Support for Abbott’s stance has come from 25 other Republican governors, and former President Donald Trump has urged the deployment of National Guard troops from GOP-controlled states to Texas to bolster border control efforts. The issue of illegal immigration has become a rallying point for Republican politicians and is likely to feature prominently in the upcoming presidential election.
Overall, the survey results indicate a growing concern among American voters regarding the U.S. government’s ability to control its external borders, with only a minority believing that the country currently has control in this regard. The dissatisfaction with the government’s approach towards illegal immigration also suggests that this issue is gaining prominence and could have significant implications for the upcoming presidential election. As tensions between the Biden administration and Republican governors escalate over border control measures, the issue of illegal immigration is likely to remain a divisive and contentious topic in the political landscape.
