Polls: Latinos urge Biden to take greater action on immigration

Recent polling suggests that a majority of Latino voters residing in crucial states and districts for the upcoming 2024 elections are urging President Biden to take more assertive steps towards offering immigration relief to the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. while simultaneously tightening security measures along the southern border. The results of the poll showcase the pressing need for the government to take substantial steps toward addressing the immigration issue that has been impacting the nation for decades.

According to a recent survey commissioned by the Immigration Hub, a group that advocates for progressive immigration policies, a majority of potential Latino voters in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, and two swing districts in California and New York are in favor of the Biden administration’s proposals to provide deportation protections and work permits to undocumented immigrants. The survey shows that these voters are supportive of the administration’s efforts to address immigration issues.

According to a survey conducted over the summer, 85% of the 2,000 registered Latino voters expressed their desire for the Biden administration to broaden the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program to provide additional immigrants from countries facing crises with the opportunity to legally live and work in the United States. The survey also revealed that 75% of the participants supported granting temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants who have been residing in the U.S. for a considerable period of time.

According to a recent poll reported by CBS News, 77% of Latinos who participated in the survey support the legalization of “Dreamers,” who are undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. This comes at a time when the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides legal status to almost 600,000 “Dreamers,” was recently ruled against by a federal judge.

According to a recent poll, Latino voters in certain states and districts give a 22 point approval rating to President Biden’s presidency (with 66% approving and 39% disapproving). However, the poll also found that enthusiasm among Latinos to reelect Mr. Biden declines by 9 percentage points when they learn that his focus will be on border security without offering legal status to immigrants who are already in the U.S. This information sheds light on the complex attitudes and priorities of Latino voters, particularly in regards to immigration policy.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, there was a rise in the number of immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status. Their estimate shows that in 2021, the number reached 11.2 million, compared to 11 million in 2019. The researchers also highlighted that the current number is expected to be even higher, considering the record-breaking levels of migrant apprehensions reported along the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021 and 2022. The institute released their estimate this week.

According to a recent survey commissioned by the center-right Latino group LIBRE Initiative, Latino voters generally support legal immigration pathways and legalizing “Dreamers” at 87% and 82%, respectively. However, the same survey revealed that 65% of the 1,000 Latinos surveyed felt that more should be done to control illegal immigration along the southern border. Additionally, the Immigration Hub-commissioned poll found that 63% of Latino voters support increased border security.

The recent polls shed light on the complicated political hurdles that President Biden must overcome when dealing with immigration policy, which is one of the most contentious issues in the United States. Criticism from Republican lawmakers and presidential hopefuls has been directed at Biden for the surge in illegal border crossings over the past couple of years. Meanwhile, some Democrats and progressive activists have taken issue with the administration’s implementation of certain restrictions on asylum.

For many years, Democratic lawmakers have been under immense pressure from Latino leaders and groups to grant legal status to undocumented immigrants. Despite several proposals being put forward, none have made it past Congress. Even a bill introduced by President Biden early in his tenure has failed to gain traction. Unfortunately, the chances of a divided Congress acting on this bill have become even more slim, with Republican leaders in the GOP-led House firmly opposing any measures that could be perceived as “amnesty.”

In the last few months, the political landscape for Mr. Biden has become even more complex. Democratic leaders in New York and other major cities, who are facing challenges in providing accommodation to migrants, have publicly voiced their concerns. They have criticized the Biden administration for not taking enough measures to aid their jurisdictions in accommodating the new arrivals.

According to a report by CBS News, several Democrats from big cities have urged the Biden administration to provide temporary legal status to newly arrived migrants, using the TPS program or other methods, to help them obtain work permits faster and reduce their reliance on local services. However, the administration has expressed concerns that such a move could potentially encourage more migrants to enter the U.S. illegally, and therefore has been hesitant to implement this suggestion.

During a press briefing on Monday, Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security Secretary, stated that the TPS program would not be expanded to allow hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans to apply for work permits and deportation protections. However, Mayorkas emphasized that the department is continuously reviewing the country conditions.

President Biden has put in place a fresh migration strategy this year, which enables tens of thousands of migrants to enter the United States every month through an app and a sponsorship program. However, those who enter the country illegally are no longer eligible for asylum. The Biden administration attributes these policies to a decline in migrant crossings in June, which was the lowest in two years. Nonetheless, in recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in migration to the U.S. border.

According to the recent poll conducted by the Immigration Hub, Mr. Biden has a significant chance to increase his support among Latinos by utilizing his executive power to provide temporary legal status to immigrants. Matt Barreto, the president of BSP Research, who conducted the poll, expressed that the results demonstrate the immense potential for Mr. Biden to bolster his support among Latinos.

According to Barreto, it’s vital for Democrats to present a well-rounded approach when it comes to addressing immigration concerns for Latinos. The community desires a plan that includes compassionate solutions at the border and ensures that individuals who have settled in the U.S. for an extended period, such as Dreamers and TPS holders, have access to legal pathways to maintain their livelihoods.

According to Daniel Garza, the president of the LIBRE Initiative, the recent surge in illegal border entries and the Democrats’ inability to pass an immigration reform law in Congress, which has been a longstanding promise, could result in unfavorable consequences for Mr. Biden and his party at the polls.

According to Garza, continuous promises of immigration reform by a political party can lead to a loss of trust. “When you’re repeatedly assured that your vote will result in reform, but it never materializes, it’s difficult to maintain faith in those promises,” Garza stated. This can ultimately lead to skepticism towards future promises and a lack of belief in the political process.

“He’s just repeating the same broken promise with the same old tune,” he remarked.

According to Garza, immigration has taken a backseat to economic concerns among Latino communities. A recent poll conducted by the Libre Initiative revealed that merely 8% of the respondents considered immigration as their top priority, while 34% were more concerned about economic issues like inflation. Shockingly, almost half of the participants responded by saying that the state of the economy was poor.

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