A recent Gallup poll highlights immigration as the leading concern among Americans, overtaking issues related to government and the economy amid rising illegal border crossings.
By yourNEWS Media Staff
According to a recent Gallup poll, immigration has emerged as the foremost concern among Americans, surpassing other pressing issues such as government performance and the economy. This shift in public concern comes as the Biden administration grapples with record levels of illegal border crossings.
The survey, conducted in February, revealed that 28% of Americans now view immigration as their top concern, a significant increase from the 20% recorded in January, when it ranked second behind government issues. The government and the economy in general are now secondary concerns, cited by 20% and 12% of respondents, respectively.
Data from the Border Patrol indicates a continuing crisis at the southern border, with over 176,000 migrant encounters in the last month alone, setting a new record for January. The total number of illegal immigrant encounters in fiscal year 2024 has already surpassed 753,000, according to federal data.
The Biden administration has seen unprecedented levels of illegal immigration in the past two fiscal years, with over 2.2 million encounters in 2022 and 2 million in 2023, as shown in federal statistics.
The increasing influx of illegal migrants led the Republican-led House of Representatives to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on February 13 for his handling of the border crisis.
The issue of immigration remains a significant challenge for President Biden as he potentially faces a rematch with former President Donald Trump, whose poll numbers are stronger on this issue. A Gallup survey from February 14 indicated that Biden’s detractors frequently cite “illegal immigration/open borders” as a primary reason for their disapproval.
The death of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley has sparked new outrage against the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Her alleged killer, Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant with a criminal history, was released into the county during Biden’s presidency.
Migrant Accused Of Killing US Nursing Student Entered Country Illegally, Released By Authorities https://t.co/j3se0Z4lrZ
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 25, 2024
The Gallup poll also highlighted shifts in public concern towards issues like poverty, hunger, homelessness, race relations, the federal budget deficit, foreign policy, and healthcare. Meanwhile, concerns over inflation, unifying the country, crime, violence, and election integrity have seen slight decreases.
Gallup’s survey involved 1,016 American adults nationwide from February 1-20, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4%.
Requests for comment from the White House and Biden’s campaign team did not receive immediate responses.
