Poll: Majority of Americans now support building border wall

[KARAH RUCKER]

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS NOW SUPPORT THE IDEA OF BUILDING A WALL AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

A NEW MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY POLL ALSO SHOWS THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ALSO BELIEVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.

THE POLL REVEALING HOW SIGNIFICANT AN ISSUE IT’S BECOMING FOR VOTERS IN AN ELECTION YEAR.

53% OF AMERICANS POLLED SAY THEY BACK BUILDING A WALL AT THE BORDER. THE FIRST TIME MONMOUTH ASKED WHETHER AMERICANS SUPPORT A WALL WAS BACK IN 2015.

SINCE THEN – SUPPORT AMONG REPUBLICANS INCREASED FROM 73% TO 86%.

SUPPORT AMONG INDEPENDENTS ALSO GREW – FROM 47% TO 58%.

WHILE LESS DEMOCRATS SUPPORT THE WALL TODAY THAN THEY DID 8 YEARS AGO.

SUPPORT DIPPING FROM 31% TO 17%.

WHAT HAS INCREASED ACROSS PARTY LINES –

IS CONCERN OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

MORE THAN 80% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE ITS A SOMEWHAT OR VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.

HERE YOU’LL SEE THE CHANGE OVER TIME FOR EACH YEAR MONMOUTH POSED THE QUESTION.

FROM 2015 TO 2019 TO TODAY.

NO MATTER PARTY AFFILIATION –

OVERALL – AMERICANS CONCERN OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS HEIGHTENED.

91% OF REPUBLICANS THINK THE SITUATION IS VERY SERIOUS.

58% OF INDEPENDENTS FEEL THE SAME.

AND 41% OF DEMOCRATS – UP FROM 26% JUST 5 YEARS AGO – BELIEVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A “VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.”

THIS AVERAGES OUT TO BE SIX IN 10 AMERICANS BELIEVING THERE’S A “VERY SERIOUS” ISSUE AT THE BORDER.

VIEWS ON HOW TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE HAVE ALSO CHANGED.

WHEN ASKED WHETHER IMMIGRANTS SEEKING ASYLUM SHOULD BE ALLOWED INTO THE U.S. WHILE THEY AWAIT ASYLUM CLAIMS –

OR WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE “MADE TO STAY IN MEXICO” UNTIL THEIR COURT DATE –

SUPPORT FOR THE TRUMP ERA REMAIN IN MEXICO POLICY HAS GROWN BY DOUBLE DIGITS.

FROM 51% IN 2019.

TO 61% TODAY.

35% BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED INTO THE U.S.

DOWN FROM 41%.

RECENTLY IN CONGRESS –

A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE CHANGED POLICIES AT THE BORDER FAILED TO PASS.

MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT 85% OF PEOPLE HAD AT LEAST HEARD ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS SURROUNDING THE BORDER BILL.

MORE PEOPLE OPPOSED THE BILL THAN FAVORED IT.

AND NEARLY HALF FELT THE BILL WASN’T TOUGH ENOUGH TO CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

AMERICANS ARE ALIGNED ON THERE BEING A PROBLEM.

BUT ARE SPLIT ON HOW TO HANDLE IT.

AS ARE THE TWO PARTY FRONTRUNNERS IN THE 2024 ELECTION.

BUT THE ISSUE IS BECOMING A PRIORITY IN BOTH CAMPS –

AS BIDEN AND TRUMP WILL BE AT THE BORDER ON THURSDAY.