The horrific murder of University of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, allegedly by an illegal immigrant, has served to add more fuel to an already raging fire.
Not only have record numbers of illegal immigrants entered the U.S. under the administration of President Joe Biden, but record numbers of Americans now consider the border the most important issue facing the nation.
According to a Gallup poll released Tuesday, immigration has now surpassed “government” to become the issue that the highest percentage of Americans see as the country’s most important problem.
The latest results of a Feb. 1-20 survey show that 28 percent of respondents consider immigration as the top issue facing this nation, up significantly from 20 percent in January. This is slightly higher than the previous record high of 27 percent recorded in July 2019, according to Gallup.
The spike in concern about immigration comes amid record numbers of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months. It also follows high-profile congressional negotiations around an immigration reform bill, which ultimately failed to pass the Senate.
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Republicans showed the greatest increase in concern, according to Gallup, with 57 percent naming immigration as the most pressing issue compared to 37 percent in January. Among independents, 22 percent now see it as the top problem, up from 16 percent, according to Gallup. Democratic concern remained lower at 10 percent.
While a majority of Democrats may not have marked immigration as the country’s top problem, many more now consider it a critical threat.
In a separate question asked by Gallup, a record-high 55 percent of Americans viewed “large numbers of immigrants entering illegally” as a critical threat to U.S. interests. This number reached 90 percent among Republicans and 54 percent for independents. Among Democrats considering illegal immigration as a critical threat, the number has gone up from 20 percent to 29 percent within the span of a year.
A national survey released Monday by Monmouth University found that for the first time, a majority of Americans — 53 percent — favor constructing a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, according to The Hill.
Is immigration the most important problem facing the country?
Over 80 percent now consider illegal immigration a serious problem, according to the poll, up sharply over the past decade. Among Republicans, an overwhelming 91 percent call it very serious, compared to 77 percent in 2019.
The poll found that 80 percent of Americans see illegal immigration as either a very serious or somewhat serious problem.
Also, the poll found that 61 percent of respondents are now backing a requirement for asylum seekers to remain in Mexico during application processing, 10 points higher than in 2019.
One out of three now believes illegal immigrants are more likely to commit violent crimes like rape and murder, up from 21 percent in 2019 and 17 percent in 2015.
Monmouth polling director Patrick Murray attributed growing support for a border wall to illegal immigration being seen as President Biden’s “weakest policy area.”
“Illegal immigration has taken center stage as a defining issue this presidential election year. Other Monmouth polling found this to be Biden’s weakest policy area, including among his fellow Democrats,” Murray said in the Monmouth news release.
The Biden administration has banked on pitting Americans against each other using pejoratives like “racist” and “xenophobe” to describe a reasonable expectation of the rule of law at our borders.
Americans should also have a reasonable expectation they will be safe from crimes committed by people who have no business being in the country in the first place.
The man suspected of murdering Riley, who was found dead on Thursday after she did not return from a run at the Athens, Georgia, university, is an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.
But more and more Americans are getting wise to the game and seeing things for what they are.
Wanting a safe border isn’t racist or xenophobic; it’s a fundamental need for a nation to be able to ensure that its resources are used for the benefit of its citizens first.
As the tidal wave of illegal immigration leaves the borders and moves further inward, it is building a new awareness among Americans about the danger in its wake.
