Recent data from a Gallup poll reveals a shift in the concerns of U.S. adults since last year, with a notable increase in worries related to illegal immigration and terrorism. While inflation remains the top concern for the majority of respondents, with 55% expressing significant worry about its impact, there has been a decrease of 8% from the previous year. On the other hand, concerns about illegal immigration have seen a seven-point increase, rising from 41% to 48% since March 2023. This rise is primarily attributed to heightened apprehension among Democrats, whose concern levels surged from 14% to 27%.
Additionally, fears of a potential terror attack have also escalated by seven points, from 36% to 43%. Following the recent Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, U.S. intelligence officials have cautioned the public about the heightened risk of global attacks. The combination of national security concerns and a surge in illegal migrants crossing the U.S. southern border has further amplified worries among citizens.
In a separate unprompted poll conducted by Gallup to identify the most pressing problem in the country, illegal immigration emerged as the top concern, with 28% of respondents citing it as the most critical issue. This marks the highest level of concern about illegal immigration in Gallup's unprompted poll since 1981. Poor leadership and government ranked second in the unprompted poll at approximately 19%, followed by concerns about the economy at 14% and inflation at 11%.
The Gallup poll was conducted from Mar. 1 to Mar. 20, surveying 1,016 individuals via cellphone and landline phones. The poll reports a margin of error of ±5%.
