Concerns about immigration and its impact on crime and taxes have soared to the highest level ever recorded, according to a new Gallup survey. The polling company said that more Americans than ever before cited immigration as their top concern in the most recent study, falling short of surpassing concerns about the government by only 3%. As reported by the Washington Examiner, in a statement released about the latest numbers, a spokesperson for Gallup said:
Americans' concern with immigration continues to be heightened, as 23% name it the most important problem facing the country. This is by one percentage point the highest Gallup has ever measured for the issue since it first began recording mentions of immigration in 1993
These results come as Washington grapples with an explosion of illegal immigration through the U.S.-Mexican border and as President Trump attempts to procure a deal with House Democrats to calm the situation. Nevertheless, Congress is poised to approve $4.6 billion in humanitarian funding to improve the conditions at the southern border.
While Gallup found that Americans are more worried about the issue of immigration than they have ever been before, they still hold mixed views on immigrants, both legal and illegal. For example, the Gallup polling finds that Americans cite higher crime and taxes as two of the top reasons they are negative on immigration. But they held firm that immigrants are good for the economy. Americans also disagree on the levels of immigration allowed into the United States, Gallup reported:
Asked their preferences for U.S. immigration levels, 37% of Americans say that it should be kept at its present level, while more say it should be decreased (35%) than increased (27%). The percentage wanting immigration reduced is higher than the average 30% holding this view in Gallup's two prior surveys, in January 2019 and July 2018.
When broken down by political party the results follow a predictable trend, a slim majority of Republicans, 54%, want them decreased, while 31% want them kept the same and 13% increased. Democrats are about equally likely to prefer increased immigration (43%) as to want current levels maintained (42%); just 13% want immigration cut. Independents' views essentially match those of all U.S. adults. Nevertheless, this new data supports the claim that one in three Americans want totaled immigration reduced from current levels.
For the article by the Washington Examiner, please click here.
For the full report on Gallup's findings, please click here.
