Immigration is the top concern of Americans
It would come as no surprise to any American who is at least a casual watcher of television news or a peruser of the letters to the editor in a daily newspaper that immigration is a topic of great interest these days.
Such has certainly been the “Immigration also ranked case for some years now, that as the No. 1 problem in July casual observer might easily and November 2018 and July say. 2014,” Gallup says.
But it might come as a surprise Politicians can, and presumably even to those who keep do, read the polling up with politics and the national results the same as the rest of news to find that just us. Both President Joe Biden over the last month there has and his presumptive opponent been a 40% increase in the come November, Donald number of Americans who Trump, made dueling trips say that immigration is the to the Mexican border with No. 1 most important problem Texas on Thursday, vying for facing the United States. attention on the issue and
Yet that's exactly what a getting input from Border Patrol survey by our most respected agents about their work. polling agency, Gallup, It's not hard to see why showed this week. Americans' concern about
“Significantly more Americans immigration is surging, name immigration as along with the number of migrants the most important problem seeking entry. In December facing the U.S. (28%) than did a record number — a month ago (20%),” Gallup on the order of 300,000 — reported on Tuesday. “Immigration crossed the southern border. has now passed the Migrants — both those who government as the most often stay in border states such as cited problem, after the two our own, Arizona, New Mexico issues tied for the top position and Texas, and those who the past two months. The are bused or make it on their government ranked first each own to Denver, Chicago and month from January through New York City — are putting November 2023.” incredible pressure on social
As something of an aside, services. it's almost amusing that the Given that concern, why polling organization uses can't Congress — where the the incredibly generic term lawmaking power is, which “the government” in its questions is not the White House — get to the public about what its act together to do something? problems are top of mind During the time of the for them. Is that City Hall, survey, after all, a bipartisan the statehouse, Congress or group of senators agreed on a the White House over onefifth border bill after a lot of hard of Americans have in work and real compromise mind when asked about what on both sides. But that agreement things they consider the most not only failed to pass important problem? Or is it the Democratic-led Senate — all the aspects of government, it was not likely to pass in the together, writ large, that GOP-controlled House, either. seem problematic? Conversely, a tougher immigration
In any case, government bill passed by the is going to have to take a House last year was not even backseat to immigration for taken up by the Senate, and the time being, because it is Biden had promised to veto it firmly No. 2 for now, though anyway. at 20% still well ahead of the Ultimately, both parties are economy in general (12%), inflation to blame for the lack of substantive (11%) and poverty/ action. This includes hunger/homelessness (6%) a refusal by Republicans to among the citizenry's top acknowledge that expanded concerns. legal immigration is part of
It's not the first time immigration the solution. has been No. 1, but it Americans want action on has been five years since that immigration and the border. was the case, in 2019, during Politicians can't find a way to a time of a surge of attempted take that action. Maybe government border crossings by residents should be moved of Central American nations. back to problem No. 1.