Curbing illegal immigration, increasing border security, and deporting illegal criminals are important pillars on which President Donald Trump won the popular vote, and border security continues to be one of the president’s greatest strengths according to new public opinion data.
In the wake of the recent Los Angeles riots during which protestors attempted to obstruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from deporting illegals, it is increasingly evident that President Trump’s focus on safety and removing criminals is paramount.
A growing share of the public now sides with the Trump Administration’s deportation program according to a new CBS News-YouGov survey taken June 4-6, and Americans believe the president’s deportation efforts are making the country safer.
According to the survey, Americans approve of President Trump’s program to deport illegal aliens by eight points, 54 percent to 46 percent. Although a slim majority of Independents — 51 percent — disapprove of Trump’s deportation plan, 49 percent approve of it. Among Democrats, eighteen percent support Trump’s deportation strategy and among Hispanics, 40 percent support it.
Americans say they would like to see funding for border and immigration enforcement increased by 28 points — 49 percent to 21 percent — highlighting how important securing the border has become to voters. Independents support increasing border security funding by eighteen points — 43 percent to 25 percent — and Hispanics would like to see funding for the border increased by 22 points — 44 percent to 22 percent.
On safety, Americans believe President Trump’s deportation strategy is making the country safer. Voters say by a margin of twelve points — 42 percent to 30 percent — that Trump’s deportation program is making Americans safer. Independents say Trump’s deportation strategy is making the country safer by a three-point margin — 35 percent to 32 percent — and 11 percent of Democrats agree though 57 percent disagree. Although a majority of Hispanics say deportation is making the country less safe, 28 percent say deportation is making the country safer.
When asked if they support Trump’s overarching goals regarding deportation, Americans say they like the goals Trump is looking to accomplish by ten points, 55 percent to 45 percent. This includes just over half of independents — 51 percent — and 17 percent of Democrats. 44 percent of Hispanics also like Trump’s deportation goal, although 56 percent do not like it.
Americans also say by six points — 53 percent to 47 percent — the president is prioritizing the deportation of dangerous illegal criminals first, a key pillar of his immigration strategy. 46 percent of independents, 24 percent of Democrats and 43 percent of Hispanics say Trump is prioritizing deporting dangerous criminals.
Radical activists are fighting President Trump’s deportation program in the courts —– and the streets — but the American people back the president’s program to deport illegals, prioritize deportation for dangerous criminals, and bolster border security funding.
While a broad portion of swing voters and even a growing share of Democrats favor the president’s approach to immigration, Congressional Democrats are seen as highly ineffective at combating Trump’s goals.
The YouGov survey shows Congressional Democrats are being seen as ineffective not only at forwarding their own legislative priorities, but at stopping President Trump from implementing his own. A plurality of Democrat voters say Congressional Democrats are ineffective at stopping Trump’s agenda, but with a majority of the public behind him on important issues, this is not a bad thing.
Americans say by 56 points — 78 percent to 22 percent — that Congressional Democrats have proven ineffective at challenging Trump’s policies, and Democrat voters say by 42 points — 71 percent to 29 percent — that Congressional Democrats have been ineffective at combatting Trumps policies.
Democrats are facing a leadership crisis, and public opinion data repeatedly shows that Americans believe Congressional Democrats display weakness, lack of leadership, and represent the status quo, rather than much needed change.
Democrats’ haphazard approach to the border crisis under the Biden Administration is an unmistakable example of the party’s lack of leadership, and the border crisis is not something voters will soon forget. The border failure was many years of neglect in the making, and it will take many months, if not years, to correct course and restore peace and order. The border crisis — and Democrats’ response to President Trump’s efforts to restore safety — are likely to play an important role in the midterm election cycle.
Manzanita Miller is the senior political analyst at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
