Fox News Poll: Majorities support measures to strengthen border security as the issue increases in importance

While the economy is still the most important issue facing the country, the number of registered voters who feel that immigration/border security should be the top priority has increased by 8 percentage points since August, landing it firmly in second place.  That surge comes as most think the immigration situation in the south is an emergency or a major problem and majorities support policies to strengthen the border.

The latest Fox News Poll, released Sunday, finds 8 in 10 voters think the situation at the southern border is either an emergency (34%) or a major problem (45%). That’s similar to views in October overall, except voters then were more likely to classify it as an emergency (48%) rather than a major problem (37%).

When it comes to shoring up the perimeter, the most favored tactic is increasing the number of border agents (79% favor).  

About two-thirds support deporting those here illegally (67% favor), penalizing businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants (64%), and allowing illegal immigrants who have U.S. jobs to stay and apply for legal status (62%).  Fewer, although still majorities, favor using the U.S. military at the border (58%) and building a wall (54%).  

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There is bipartisan support for hiring more border agents (68% of Democrats favor and 93% of Republicans) and fining businesses for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants (53% and 78%).   

But there are stark partisan differences on allowing those working in the U.S. to apply for legal status (80% of Democrats favor it vs. 40% of Republicans), sending troops to the border (36% vs. 82%), and constructing the wall (25% vs. 88%).

Republicans overwhelmingly favor deporting illegal immigrants (89%) while Democrats are divided (48% favor, 44% oppose). 

One notable shift over the past several months: voters are more likely to favor deporting illegal immigrants now (67%) than they were in February (58%).  Groups across the board are keener to send them back, including Democrats (+8 points), Republicans (+10), and independents (+11).

When it comes to legal immigrants, 55% of voters think they do more to help the country while 37% think they hurt it. 

Majorities of Democrats (73%) and independents (55%) feel legal immigrants help, while over half of Republicans say they cause harm (55%).

Nineteen percent identify immigration/border security as the most important issue facing the country, up from 11% in August.  The increase comes primarily from Republicans (+13 points) and men (+10) putting more importance on the topic than before.

The economy is still by far the top priority to voters overall (35%).

Republicans’ top issues are the economy (40%) and immigration/border security (35%). The economy is also number one among Democrats (27%), but then importance splinters among others, such as guns (16%), climate change (13%), voting rights (12%), and abortion (10%) – hardly any say immigration (5%).  

The Biden administration and Congressional Republicans are locked in a fierce debate over a spending package meant to send billions in aid to wars in Israel and Ukraine.  Republicans are pushing to pair that aid with tougher border policies.

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One third of voters approve of how President Biden’s handling border security (33%) while 63% disapprove.  His approval on the border reached a high of 40% in May 2021 and hit a low of 30% last month, but it’s mostly stayed between 33-37%.  

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"Immigration is fast becoming the paradigmatic example of government's incompetence," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw who conducts the Fox News survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. "There is no coherent policy to secure the border, and neither is there any immediate prospect for dealing with millions of undocumented workers in the U.S. The images from the southern border are both heartbreaking and appalling."

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Conducted Dec. 10-13, 2023, under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll included interviews with 1,007 registered voters nationwide who were randomly selected from a voter file and spoke with live interviewers on both landlines and cellphones. The total sample has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.