Is Biden Losing the Immigration Debate?

A new survey shows significant shifts in public opinion.

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President Joe Biden speaks after the House of Representatives passed his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, February 27, 2021.

Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Earlier this month, Politico ran a story about a growing number of congressional Democrats who are worried that their party’s expansive approach to immigration may be unpopular with voters. Recent trends in polling data suggest that those Democrats are right to be concerned.

Rasmussen Reports has asked the same ten immigration questions every week since the middle of December 2019. The answers had been generally stable until late last year, when they began to shift markedly toward favoring more border enforcement, opposition to amnesty, and less legal immigration. It seems that Joe Biden’s election, and the rhetoric and policies of his administration, are alienating a significant share of voters. It is also possible that a larger share of centrist voters no longer see the issue as inextricably connected to Donald Trump and his polarizing style. Whatever the reason, if Rasmussen is right, public sentiment is moving away from Biden and his party on immigration.

Steven A. Camarota

About the Author

Steven A. Camarota

Steven A. Camarota is the director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies.

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