Now 100 days into the Biden Administration, troubling news on the border mounts. The number of migrants taken into custody has been rising, reaching 171,000 in March, the highest number seen in at least 15 years. Included in this March total are a record 18,800 unaccompanied teenagers and children.The surge overwhelms border agents, who estimate that about 1,000 illegal migrants cross the border undetected daily.
Although the Biden Administration reaches its 100 day mark with enthusiastic Democratic support, recent polling on immigration and the border shows that these are areas where there is growing concern among Democratic voters.
The polls do not reveal the reasons for the growing apprehension. However, in general terms, while Democrats support a just and humane immigration system, Democrats also advocate for jobs and economic equality, resources for social services, and sustainability and the environment — which can all be undermined through increased immigration and human smuggling.
Morning Consult/Politico — 79 Percent of Democratic Voters View the Border Situation as a "Crisis" or a "Problem"
The Morning Consult/Politico poll conducted March 19-22 reveals that even "as Democratic leaders and the White House resist using the word 'crisis,'" — 31% of Democrats view the surge as a "crisis" and 48% of them view it as a "problem."
Morning Consult/Politico — Democratic Disapproval More than Doubles
According to the Morning Consult/Politico poll conducted March 26-29, "49 percent of voters disapprove of Biden's handling of immigration issues...with the share of Democrats who disapprove of his handling of immigration increasing 11 points (to 20 percent)." The poll further notes that "immigration yields Biden's worst numbers among voters of either party."
AP-NORC — Democratic Voters 20 Percent Less Supportive of Biden on Immigration and Border Security than Overall
The AP-NORC poll conducted March 25-29 finds that: "While about three-quarters [74 percent] of Democrats approve of Biden's handling of immigration and border security, along with gun policy, it's the lowest of all the issues included in the survey."
According to the poll, only four percent of Democrats disapprove of Biden overall while 24 percent disapprove of his border security policy.
Washington Post-ABC News — Democrats’ Approval of Biden’s Handling of Immigration at the Border Continues to Fall
A more recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, which was conducted April 18-21, shows that only 64 percent of Democrats approve of Biden’s handling of immigration at the border, ten points lower than the AP-NORC poll (which was conducted three weeks earlier).
LISA IRVING is the Volunteer Standards Program for NumbersUSA
