A recent Gallup poll reveals a significant majority of Americans perceive the situation at the southern border as either a crisis or a major problem. While the percentage is slightly down from 2019, the issue continues to resonate strongly with the public.
The poll indicates 39% of Americans consider the border situation a crisis, while another 33% classify it as a "major problem." This combined 72% demonstrates widespread concern, though slightly lower than the 74% who held similar views in 2019. Only a small fraction, 5%, believe the border isn't a problem at all.
A key shift in perception is observed among Democrats. In 2019, 68% of Democrats considered the border situation a crisis or major problem. This number has decreased to 56% in the recent poll, with only 17% viewing it as a crisis. Conversely, Republican concern remains high, rising slightly from 88% in 2019 to 91% currently. Independent views have stayed relatively consistent, shifting minimally from 70% to 71% over the same period.
The border has experienced a substantial surge in migrant crossings since early 2021, surpassing the numbers seen during the 2019 crisis. Fiscal years 2021 and 2022 recorded over 1.7 million and 2.4 million migrant encounters respectively. This surge has fueled debate over the Biden administration's border policies. Republicans argue that reduced interior enforcement, expanded "catch-and-release" practices, and the termination of Trump-era policies like border wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy have encouraged increased migration.
The Biden administration counters that it is addressing a hemisphere-wide crisis while simultaneously working to rebuild an asylum system it claims was damaged by the previous administration. Their strategy includes expanding legal asylum pathways, notably through increased use of humanitarian parole, while also implementing an asylum rule that restricts claims from those who entered illegally and didn't seek asylum in transit countries. This rule currently faces legal challenges.
June 2023 saw over 144,000 migrant encounters at the southern border, the lowest figure since February 2021. While still high compared to pre-2021 levels, the Biden administration attributes this decrease to its policies. They also call on Republicans to support immigration reform and provide additional funding. Meanwhile, Republicans continue to scrutinize DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with a recent House report accusing him of intentional dereliction of duty in managing the border situation.
