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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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Donald Trump's presidential campaign has received a major boost as new polling data shows Americans want tighter controls on immigration.
A new Gallup poll shows Republicans and Democrats back Trump's calls for immigration curbs. Some 55 percent of respondents wanted to see immigration levels decrease, while 25 percent favored levels remaining the same.
Only 16 percent of participants wanted immigration figures to increase, the lowest level since 2009. The newly released data demonstrates a shift in public attitudes toward border security and immigration. It is the first time since 2005 that the majority of Americans feel that immigration levels should be cut down.
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The current figure is the largest percentage holding this view since a 58% reading in 2001. The record high was 65%, recorded in 1993 and 1995.
The pollster said: "The shifts in attitudes have come after monthly illegal border crossings reached record levels late last year. They have dropped significantly since then, but remain above most monthly pre-pandemic totals."
A slight majority of respondents back Trump's flagship border wall policy from 2016, as 53% support significantly expanding the construction of walls along the U.S.-Mexico border, up 13 points since 2019. The new polling data comes after the former Republican survived an assassination attempt at the weekend.
Furthermore, 76% of participants want the government to recruit "significantly more" border patrol agents, according to data gathered by Gallup.
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The data reveals a significant shift in public opinion, reflecting growing concerns over immigration amid ongoing debates and political discourse. The peak of pro-immigration sentiment occurred in May and June of 2020, when 34 percent and 33 percent of respondents, respectively, expressed a desire for increased immigration levels.
In contrast, the record low for those wanting to decrease immigration was in May 2020, when only 28 percent of respondents supported reduced immigration.
Some 42% of respondents described "the situation at the U.S. border with Mexico as a crisis and 35% as a major problem."
Polling data accumulated by Gallup states: "This includes a 15-point increase among Republicans (to 88%), an 11-point increase among independents (to 50%), and a 10-point increase among Democrats (to 28%)."
"Democrats are now most likely to prefer keeping immigration levels where they are, but last year they were about equally likely to favor keeping the status quo or increasing immigration."
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Anti-immigration sentiment has increased in the U.S. under the Biden administration, as the GOP's machinations have propelled border security and immigration to the center of national politics.
Immigration is one of the most important issues in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. A rematch between Joe Biden and Trump looks likely, despite the incumbent Democratic president facing numerous calls to step aside.
Immigration is a divisive issue in the race for the White House, with Biden and Trump exchanging sharp criticisms.
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In June, Biden announced significant new executive action aimed at preventing the U.S.-Mexico border from becoming overwhelmed. It stops migrants who unlawfully cross the border from receiving asylum.
Almost 400,000 people were detained and deported between Trump's implementation of Title 42 and his departure from office. Biden overturned this measure in May 2023 amid accusations that it had been used to expel legitimate asylum seekers.
Overall, immigration is a key issue for Americans, particularly Republicans, after a record number of illegal border crossings. However, for the first time in nearly two decades, Americans want immigration levels to the U.S. reduced rather than kept at their present level or increased.
Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the U.S Immigration policy program at the Migration Policy Institute, told Newsweek: "People are seeing what's happening at the border, and lots of people are coming in, and they may not care what the stock is; they might just be upset about the magnitude of border arrivals.
"I think there's a lot of misinformation out there, and when people see these pictures of chaos, it's kind of easy to believe the misinformation because it kind of generally corresponds with what you think you're seeing."
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