A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll revealed a divided public opinion on immigration, particularly in comparing the approaches of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. According to the poll's results, 51% of voters believe Trump would be more effective in handling immigration issues. However, these same voters favored Harris's immigration policy proposals.
Overall, the poll suggests that Harris's approach attracts more diverse support. Yet partisan allegiances and the Biden administration's broader immigration record continue to influence her public perception, with Trump maintaining more public confidence on the issue.
Harris's immigration policy proposals include hiring more asylum officers and border agents, which 76% of poll participants supported, and automatically closing the border if illegal crossings reached a certain level, which 61% of voters also agreed with. Additionally, 56% of participants supported Harris's proposal to raise requirements for immigrants seeking political asylum. Harris's least popular proposal—creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants—garnered 51% support.
In contrast, Trump's proposals, while more popular with his base, have less appeal overall. The poll asked about three key items on Trump's second-term immigration agenda, two of which receive support from less than half of registered voters: "rounding up, detaining, and expelling millions of undocumented immigrants" (49%) and "moving thousands of American troops currently stationed overseas to the U.S.-Mexico border" (37%). The third proposal, building a border wall, barely clears the majority mark at 52%.
Around 73% of voters, including 66% of independents, resonated with Harris's statement about a balanced, humane approach to border security, compared to 51% for Trump's more stringent approach.
The poll highlights that partisan dynamics heavily influence opinions on immigration. When respondents were told Trump opposed and Harris supported a bipartisan border deal, Republican support for the deal dropped significantly.
Despite the relative popularity of her proposals, Harris struggles with public trust in immigration. The Biden administration's record on the issue has affected Harris's image, with 55% of voters assigning her significant blame for border issues. However, fewer voters blame Harris than Biden for the current situation.
These results come as both presidential campaigns focus on Arizona, a battleground state where immigration and border security promise to be hot-button issues. In the 2020 election, Arizona propelled President Biden to victory, marking the first Democratic presidential win in the state since 1996.
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