The abortion rights policy was expected to be the most important topic during the presidential primaries, and this is what candidates were expected to focus on, but the influx of immigrants on the Texas border changed the narrative completely. Biden and former President Trump are now both focused on immigration as public concerns grow about how the country is handling the border crisis as many Democratic-led states and cities feel the pressure on their own.
Biden and Trump visit Texas on Thursday
Biden and Trump, intentionally or not, both visited the Texas border on Thursday. The current and former presidents visited different parts of the border, and their interviews and speeches to the public had completely different narratives. They are known to support two different approaches when it comes to securing the border, but a recent poll shows that the majority of Americans and Texas residents find Trump’s policies better, which is a problem for Biden in his bid for reelection.
A majority of Americans, Texans support Trump border policies
Most Americans agree with the idea of constructing a border wall, a decision initially made by Trump but stopped by Biden as soon as he took office, a recent report from Monmouth University Polling Institute shows. The report highlights that worry over illegal immigration have grown during President Joe Biden’s time compared to the last two presidents.
For the first time since 2015, when the question was first asked, the majority of people in the U.S. are in favor of building a border wall. Almost half of the voters think that a border bill led by Democrats in the U.S. Senate doesn’t do enough to address illegal immigration.
Over 80% of those asked in the poll view illegal immigration as a big issue, with 61% seeing it as very serious and 23% as somewhat serious. This concern has increased since the later years of Obama’s presidency and halfway through Trump’s time in office, according to the survey.
Majority of independent voters now find illegal immigration as a very serious concern
Independent voters, about 58%, now see illegal immigration as a very serious concern, up from 43% in 2019. Democrats are more worried too, with 41% labeling it a serious problem, a rise from 26% in 2019. A 53% majority support the federal government’s effort to build a wall along the border with Mexico, an increase from the 44% who supported it during Trump’s presidency.
Texas started constructing its own border wall, becoming the first state to take such action, after President Biden stopped the building of the federal wall. This decision was led by Governor Greg Abbott. About 32% of people surveyed believe that illegal immigrants are more likely to commit serious crimes like rape and murder, compared to American citizens. This percentage has increased from 21% in 2019 who shared this opinion.
Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, said the results “illustrate why the [U.S. Senate] border deal was dead on arrival. The vast majority of rank-and-file Republicans and many independents believe it is too soft on illegal immigration, even if they don’t know exactly what’s in the legislation.”
The proposed bill aimed to legalize large-scale migration and extend parole policies introduced by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, leading to his impeachment. It would have also made it harder for states to challenge these policies, effectively removing their ability to protect themselves, as argued by Texas officials.
Hispanic and Black communities in Texas are in favor of constructing a border wall
A poll by the University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project shows that most Texans, including Hispanic and Black communities, are in favor of constructing a border wall and enhancing border security. Interestingly, support for Trump among Texas Democrats has grown from 12% in December 2022 to over 15% recently.
The poll also reveals that 56% of Hispanic voters in Texas support the state’s efforts to build and repair border walls or barriers, with 34% opposing. Similarly, 55% of Black Texans back the initiative, while 30% are against it.
Majority of Texas voters support the state’s construction of its own wall and barriers
Overall, 65% of Texas voters support the state’s construction of its own wall and barriers, with 28% opposing. Additionally, 57% of Texans favor placing marine buoys in the Rio Grande River to enhance security, against 36% who do not. A significant 66% support the deployment of more state police and military resources to the border, with only 27% opposing.
Among these, a majority of Black and Hispanic voters in Texas support these security measures, with 57% and 51% respectively. Furthermore, 56% of Hispanic voters in Texas disapprove of President Biden’s immigration and border policies, with only 26% approving. This comes at a time when Democratic-led states and cities are voicing concerns over the financial and safety implications of the Biden administration’s border policies.
Texas has been significantly affected, with nearly 100 counties declaring invasions or states of emergency due to the border crisis.
The Texas legislature has allocated over $11.6 billion for Governor Abbott’s border security initiative, Operation Lone Star. This operation has resulted in over 501,000 apprehensions of illegal immigrants and more than 39,800 criminal arrests, including over 35,800 felony charges, as per the latest reports from the governor’s office.
They’ve also seized more than 467 million lethal doses of fentanyl, enough to kill everyone in the United States and Canada.
Their efforts continue “to fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border,” Abbott said.
