A new poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that more Americans disapprove than approve of the way that President Joe Biden is handling the influx of unaccompanied migrant children coming to the southern United-States Mexico border.
The poll was released on Monday and demonstrated that Americans are generally concerned with the situation at the border, specifically with how it is affecting young children and their safety. The Associated Press reported on the results, showing that 59% of Americans say that “Providing safe treatment of children at the border” should be a high priority for the federal government, with 31% saying that it should be a moderate priority. Only 9% said that it is a low priority. The poll results also showed that “Reuniting parents and children who were separated at the border” is considered as something that should be a high priority for the federal government by 65% of Americans.
In addition, 53% of Americans said that more security at the border should be a high priority for the federal government, with 32% saying that it should be a moderate priority. When it comes to visa enforcement, 47% of Americans said that making policies stronger that will prevent immigrants from overstaying their visas should be a high priority, with 35% saying that it is a moderate priority.
When asked if legal immigration should be increased, remain the same, or reduced, respondents have differed over the past few years. The poll showed that in August 2018, 29% of respondents said that legal immigration should increase. That percentage went up to 35% in September 2019. In March 2021, however, only 28% of Americans said that legal immigration should be increased.
Biden’s approval rating of his job as president sits at 61% from adults overall. Only 44% of overall adults, however, stated that they approved of how he is handling border security, with 42% of overall adults approving of how he is handling immigration.
Regarding Biden’s handling of unaccompanied migrant children coming to the United States by way of the southern border, 24% of all adults approve of his handling with 40% saying that they disapprove. Only 35% of adults said that they did not approve or disapprove of his handling.
Among party lines, the differences are more substantial, with 44% of Democrats saying that they approve of his handling of the situation, 40% not choosing either side, and 15% disapproving. Among Republicans, only 8% of respondents said that they approve of Biden’s handling, 26% did not say either way, and 66% responded that they disapprove.
On Friday, CBS News reported that almost “19,000 unaccompanied children entered U.S. custody along the southern border in March, an all-time monthly high that has forced the Biden administration to house migrant teenagers in convention centers, camps for oil workers and a military base,” according to preliminary government information given to the outlet.
The AP-NORC poll is only the most recent example of how Americans are becoming increasingly concerned with the Biden administration’s handling of the increase in unaccompanied minors at the southern border. The Daily Wire reported last week on three polls that show a growing disapproval of Biden’s handling of the crisis, with some instances revealing his approval is under 50% despite the efforts of his administration to downplay the problem.