More Americans Want Stricter Immigration Policies – POLLING Shows
A new poll shows that Americans are more nostalgic for the days when immigration was less common than at any time since 2005.
Nearly two-thirds of American adults want fewer immigrants. That was the largest share of Americans calling for lower immigration since 2001.
About a quarter of those surveyed – 25% – would keep immigration the same, while another 16% want to receive more immigrants. That compares with 34% in May of last year who said immigration should be expanded.
Polling also indicated that backing for more restrained immigration is up among partisans of all stripes — Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. That compares to only 73% of Republicans in 2023 who supported lower immigration.
Among independents, 39% favored reducing immigration in 2023, but that percentage increased to 50% amid their reaching majority consensus in favor of restricting the number of entry visas issued.
18% percent of Democrats supported decreased immigration in 2023, a percentage that rose to 28% the year after.
Public opinion shifted largely due to having a presidency where more than 10 million people have unlawfully crossed the border, with an estimated 1.7 million illegal immigrant getaways recorded since President Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021.
In sharp contrast, there were 415,000 total reported getaways for 2018, 2019, and 2020 under the Trump administration.
Immigration has emerged as a key issue heading into the 2024 presidential contenders. A poll showed only 36% of voters approved of Biden’s immigration policies, while a majority back more deportations and building the wall on the southern border along with punishing companies that are hiring illegal immigrants.