More U.S. adults now believe immigration is a top issue, compared to last year, according to a new poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In the December survey, respondents were asked to list up to five issues they believe should be federal priorities in 2025.
47% of respondents, including 69% of Republicans and 32% of Democrats, said immigration or the border wall is a top issue.
Last year, the AP reported that only one-third of adults believed immigration was a top issue.
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On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump focused heavily on immigration. Customs and Border Protection numbers show nearly 11 million undocumented migrants crossed the U.S.-Mexico border while President Joe Biden has been in office.
Illegal border crossings reached record levels in 2023. There were 302,034 encounters between ports of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2023 alone.
Biden signed an executive order in June to crack down on illegal border crossings. However, Trump argued that Biden’s actions came too late.
Trump and his incoming “border czar,” Tom Homan, said they’ll carry out mass deportations of migrants in the country illegally. They will begin on Jan. 20, the day Trump is sworn into office for his second term.
The poll also reveals foreign policy and the economy are top issues for U.S. adults. This comes as wars rage on in Ukraine and Gaza, and inflation continues to impact Americans’ wallets.
