A survey conducted by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that most Americans believe that President Biden’s policies have made the cost of living and illegal immigration worse rather than better during his term. Specifically, 58% of respondents said that Biden’s approach to addressing the cost of living had either “hurt a little” or “hurt a lot,” while 56% said the same about his handling of immigration and border security. A majority of Americans expressed concern about key issues such as inflation, the economy, and illegal immigration, with the data showing that consumer prices have increased by 19% since Biden took office and the inflation rate remains high at 3.5% as of March.
The United States has experienced a record-breaking number of illegal immigrant apprehensions in fiscal year 2023, with over 2.5 million individuals being detained at the border. Most of these individuals are being released into the US to await rulings on their asylum claims in the face of backlogged proceedings. Biden’s decision to end Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, which required asylum applicants to remain in Mexico while awaiting decisions, has been highlighted by Republicans as a contributing factor to increased migration. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that over 85% of those detained for crossing the border illegally were being released into the US, up from previous statistics.
In terms of other key issues, the survey found that 47% of Americans believed that former President Trump had worsened US relations with other countries and abortion laws. Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, leading to significant changes in federal abortion rights. Trump has attempted to respond to voter concerns by encouraging Republican-led states to allow abortions in certain circumstances, such as rape, incest, or medical conditions that threaten the mother’s life. Biden has taken a strong stance on abortion rights, calling on voters to support him in response to recent restrictive rulings in states like Arizona.
The poll also revealed that Trump faces challenges with voters on environmental and election-related issues, with 46% of respondents stating that he made climate change worse and undermined voting rights and election security. Biden and the Democrats managed to defy expectations of a “red wave” in the 2022 midterm elections by focusing on abortion rights and Trump’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The survey, which surveyed 1,204 US adults in April 2022, highlighted the ongoing political divides in the country and the importance of key issues such as the cost of living, immigration, and abortion laws in shaping public opinion and electoral outcomes.
