Overwhelming majorities of both major political parties (89 percent of Republicans and 73 percent of Democrats) give the government negative ratings for its handling of the migrant crisis under the Biden administration, according to new survey data from Pew Research. Only 18 percent of Americans believe the government is doing a good job with the border. “A sizable majority of Americans (78 percent) say the large number of migrants seeking to enter this country at the U.S.-Mexico border is either a crisis (45 percent) or a major problem (32 percent),” according to the survey, which sampled 5,140 adults between Jan. 16-21. The latest figures, showing major political factions are united in their desire for government to better handle immigration, come as the public reckons with major issues tied to illegal migration and what those issues could mean for the U.S. long-term.During a time of intense political polarization, there is one thing on which Democrats and Republicans can agree: the federal government is doing a doing a terrible job handling the situation at the U.S. southern border.
About seven-in-ten Americans (71 percent), including majorities in both parties, cite better economic opportunities as a major reason why there has been a surge in migration. Among Democrats, 79 percent believe migrants come to the U.S. because of violence in their home countries, compared to just 49 percent of Republicans who agree. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to describe the situation as a “crisis” (70 percent, compared with only 22 percent of Democrats).
