Cracking down on unlawful immigration has become perhaps Donald Trump's predilect issue at the campaign trail at the moment: from claims about Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua taking over apartment buildings in Colorado to Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, the approach to the issue has escalated in controversy, especially as many of the references have been debunked.
However, the core of Trump's message seem to be resonating with most of the electorate, with a new poll showing that a majority of voters support his vow to conduct a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
The survey, conducted by Scripps news/Ipsos showed that 54% of respondents "strongly" or "somewhat" support the policy. The figure is comprised by 86% of Republicans, 58% of independents and 25% of Democrats. Trump has repeatedly claimed that, if elected, he will conduct the "largest deportation operation in American history."
Overall, immigration ranked as the second-most important topic for voters, with 39% calling it a top issue, only second to inflation (57%). And Trump has a 10-point lead over Kamala Harris regarding who respondents believe would better handle it, getting 44% of the support compared to Harris' 34%.
Within the topic itself, a third of those surveyed said that securing the southern border should be the top priority. Ensuring a "pathway to citizenship for those who qualify (20%), deporting those here illegally (18%) and ensuring opportunities remain for those trying to legally enter the country (18%)" followed suit.
Another passage of the survey showed that about half of Americans are concerned about noncitizens potentially voting in the elections, but the partisan divide is also present in responses: 83% of Republicans showed this concern, compared to 46% of independents and 24% of Democrats.
The poll, however, clarified that "it is illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, and there is little evidence that illegally cast ballots have had an impact on the results." "House Republicans, however, have made it a priority to champion legislation that would add additional safeguards to prevent non-citizens from casting ballots," the document added.
Looking at Latinos in particular, Vice President Harris also lags Trump in the handling of immigration, although by a smaller margin: 42% to 37%. Harris does lead overall, according to a poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos and published earlier this month.
When it comes to the economy, one of the top deciding factors in the race, the candidates are head to head, polling at 39 percent each with the Latino vote. This is in contrast to the overall electorate, where Trump holds a 45 to 36 percent advantage.
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