President Joe Biden’s executive action on immigration isn’t a hit with voters, but it isn’t completely alienating Democrats and independents either, according to a new Monmouth University poll.
Democrats’ views on Biden’s border crackdown are consistent with those of voters across the board, with 40 percent of registered voters approving the move, 27 percent opposed and 33 percent saying they have no opinion. The executive order announced last week, which restricts migrants seeking asylum by setting a numerical threshold that triggers the closure of the southern border between ports of entry, has the approval of 38 percent of Democrats, 40 percent of independents and 44 percent of Republicans.
The findings come as Biden looks to boost voters’ perceptions of his handling of the border just months before the November election. The president is aiming to unite the Democratic base’s divisions on immigration, appealing to independents looking for a tougher hand and taking action to reduce Republicans’ campaign advantage on this issue.
According to the poll, nearly half of Democrats, 49 percent, see Biden’s executive action as “about right” when it comes to tackling illegal immigration. Twenty-four percent of Democrats view the order as “too strict” and 19 percent say it is “not strict enough.” A total of 22 percent of Democrats are against the action.
Of Democrats who say they oppose Biden’s move, 82 percent called it “too harsh.” That echoes the views of a vocal group of frustrated progressives who urged the president to pursue other forms of immigration relief. In response, the administration is considering new measures for undocumented immigrants, with a particular focus on a “parole in place” policy for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens.
Regardless of whether they support or oppose Biden’s action, Republicans are united in their desire for a stronger crackdown on illegal immigration, with 74 percent calling the move “not tough enough.” Only 4 percent describe it as “too harsh,” and 17 percent of Republicans say it is “about right.” Republicans are betting that Biden’s low approval ratings on immigration will help the party draw voters away from the president’s coalition, as Biden tries to hammer Republicans over their obstruction of a bipartisan border deal earlier this year.
“Frankly, I would have preferred to address this issue through bipartisan legislation,” Biden said as he announced the move, “but Republicans left me no choice.”
The poll showed a slim majority of voters approve of Biden’s action — larger than the share of voters who approved a House immigration bill and a bipartisan Senate border bill earlier this year, the latter of which was derailed by opposition from former President Donald Trump.
Biden’s executive action, which is still underway, allows the president to close the border when crossings average more than 2,500 per day for a week. If the average number of crossings for seven consecutive days is 1,500 or fewer, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas can reopen the border two weeks later. During these high-volume periods when the border is closed, migrants apprehended along the border will not be allowed to apply for asylum.
Despite the more aggressive approach to immigration, Biden’s approval ratings have not improved, the Monmouth poll showed, with 38 percent approving of his job performance — down marginally from 42 percent in April.
The Monmouth University survey was conducted from June 6 to 10, with 1,106 adults interviewed by telephone. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
