A recent poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Americans for Prosperity revealed that border security is the top priority for a majority of US voters, with 57% stating that border reform legislation is more important than any other issue Congress could be working on. The poll also found that 42% of voters prefer a policy to secure the border and ports, while 36% want clear and predictable rules and laws for the immigration system. Additionally, the majority of voters trust Border Patrol agents, local law enforcement officials, and border region residents when it comes to immigration issues.
Despite the overwhelming concern over border security, neither President Biden nor former President Donald Trump broke 50% in terms of trust from voters. 45% of respondents said they would trust Trump a “great deal” or “fair amount,” while only 43% said the same of Biden. A significant portion of voters, 27%, identified illegal immigration and border security as one of their top two issues, ranking it below inflation but above the economy and jobs. Biden is currently leading Trump in polling by two percentage points, but Trump leads slightly in the RealClearPolitics aggregate of polls.
The survey also found that 81% of voters have a negative view of the state of US border security, highlighting a widespread dissatisfaction among the electorate. Additionally, 74% of respondents believe the country is on the wrong track, with only 26% feeling it is moving in the right direction. Approval ratings for Biden are low, with only 41% of voters approving of his job performance and 59% disapproving. Among independents, only 33% approve of Biden’s work. The generic congressional ballot was evenly split between parties, with 42% supporting each and 16% undecided.
Both Biden and Trump have unfavorable views among voters, with 38% holding a favorable view of Trump and 59% holding an unfavorable view. Members of Congress also face negative perceptions, with Republicans 24 points underwater on favorability and Democrats 15 points below par. The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies from April 8-11, sampled 1,000 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.53 percentage points. Overall, the survey highlighted the importance of border security to US voters and the general dissatisfaction with current political leadership.
