A new Gallup poll found that immigration has ranked ahead of all other issues and has become the most pressing problem for people in the United States.
The survey, conducted from Feb. 1 to 20, reveals that immigration has surpassed all other current issues, with 28 percent of Americans identifying it as the most important problem in the country to date.
After immigration, the poll shows that 20 percent of Americans consider the government as the most important issue. The economy and inflation follow at 12 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
Moreover, the number of Americans who view immigration as the top issue has also increased from the previous month. In January, only 20 percent cited immigration as the top concern.
Republicans have played a significant role in driving the surge in concerns over immigration, with 57 percent of Republicans surveyed now naming it as the top problem, a sharp increase from 37 percent in January. Independents also demonstrated a modest uptick, rising from 16 percent to 22 percent, while Democrats showed minimal change up to 10 percent.
Geographical disparities were also evident in the survey. People in the East Coast and the American South are more likely to view immigration as the most significant issue at 36 percent and 31 percent, respectively, compared to those living in the Midwest and the West, at 25 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Southern residents have consistently prioritized immigration as a top concern.
Meanwhile, the survey also reveals in a separate question that a record-high 55 percent of American adults consider "large numbers of immigrants entering the United States illegally" as a vital threat to U.S. interests, up eight points from 2023.
Unsuccessful immigration policies affect Biden's and Congress' approval ratings
The Gallup poll also reflects other similar polls.
For instance, in a poll conducted by Harvard University's Center for American Political Studies in collaboration with market research and analytics firm The Harvard Poll in January, immigration took the lead as the primary policy concern among American voters. The findings indicate that 35 percent of respondents now identify immigration as their top concern heading into the upcoming election, surpassing inflation, which closely trails at 32 percent.
The traditionally significant topics of "economy and jobs" follow, with 25 percent of respondents indicating this as their primary concern. "Crime and drugs" and health care each garnered 16 percent of the votes, while the deficit and national security received 14 percent. Corruption and the environment, though critical issues, found themselves at the lower end of the spectrum, with only 13 percent of respondents expressing them as their primary concerns.
Notably, 38 percent stated that inflation directly and personally affected them, while 17 percent expressed the same sentiment regarding immigration. The poll delved into other pressing matters, revealing that crime and climate change received 10 percent of the vote each, and issues such as abortion and racial equity received seven percent each.
The polls coincided with unsuccessful bipartisan efforts in the Senate to address the immigration crisis.
As a result, Congress received a low approval rating in the Gallup poll. Congress' approval rating has hit a new low of 12 percent, the lowest since November 2015, when it was 11 percent. Notably, only 14 percent of Democrats, 12 percent of independents and nine percent of Republicans approve of the job Congress is doing.
Furthermore, President Joe Biden's approval rating stands at 38 percent, with a personal low of 28 percent for his handling of the immigration issue.
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