A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that U.S. President Joe Biden’s popularity is at one of the lowest levels of his presidency, coinciding with increasing concerns among Americans regarding immigration. The three-day opinion poll, which concluded on Sunday, indicated that 40% of respondents approved of Biden’s performance as president, slightly down from 42% in the previous month. The poll had a margin of error of approximately three percentage points.
Although the economy has traditionally been the top concern for U.S. voters, in October, the percentage of respondents citing “immigration” as the number one problem rose to 14% from 8% in September. This is the highest level of concern about immigration since December 2019, when 15% of respondents identified it as their top concern. On the other hand, 19% of respondents considered the economy as the primary concern, a decrease from 23% in September. In comparison, 11% mentioned crime and 7% mentioned the environment.
Among Republicans, concerns about immigration have grown significantly, suggesting that it could become a focal point for the party during the 2024 presidential election when Biden seeks reelection. The issue of failing to prevent crossings from Mexico has led Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who is a frontrunner for the party’s nomination, to consistently criticize Biden. Trump, who served as U.S. president from 2017 to 2021, has vowed to take stricter actions against illegal immigration if he returns to the White House. Trump has frequently encouraged his supporters to chant “build the wall” during his rallies. In a recent interview, Trump made controversial remarks, describing illegal immigrants as “poisoning the blood of the country,” which his critics denounced as racist.
A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in September found that a majority of Americans, 54%, agreed with the statement that “immigration is making life harder for native-born Americans.” The statement received agreement from 73% of Republicans and 37% of Democrats surveyed. However, the emphasis on immigration by Republicans does not necessarily guarantee electoral success. In 2018, when immigration concerns were high and Republican politicians pledged strict measures to hinder border crossings, Democrats still managed to gain control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the elections of that year.
Biden’s administration has faced challenges due to a record number of migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, reaching new highs in September, which has strained cities along the border and further north. Last week, the administration announced plans to add sections to the border wall, continuing one of Trump’s main policies. Shortly after taking office in January 2021, Biden issued a proclamation stating that no more taxpayer dollars would be diverted to constructing a border wall.
Biden’s public approval rating has remained below 50% since August 2021, and this month’s rating was close to the lowest levels of his presidency, at 36%, seen in mid-2022. The Reuters/Ipsos poll collected responses online from 1,029 adults, using a nationally representative sample.
(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Grant McCool)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
