FAIR: National Exit Polling Shows that Securing the Border and Removing Illegal Aliens Are Top Immigration Priorities for Voters

(November 15, 2022, Washington, D.C.) — National exit polling of voters who participated in the midterm elections indicate that immigration was important to their vote. The polling also found that Congress has a clear mandate to secure our borders and ensure that immigration laws are enforced. By a wide margin, 62 percent to 32 percent, voters favor strong action to secure our border and remove illegal aliens over granting amnesty to illegal aliens or increasing the number of people we admit legally. Half of voters nationwide, said "securing the border and stopping illegal immigration" should be the top immigration issue for the 118th Congress to address. An additional 12 percent of voters said that "finding and removing illegal immigrants" is their top priority. Fewer than 9 percent said that "granting legal status to people who are in the country illegally," should be the first action, while 23 percent want more people to enter the country legally, not illegally. Americans' immigration priorities also represent a sharp rebuke of the Biden administration's policies. 55.3 percent of voters believe that the "administration's policies have encouraged illegal immigration," compared with just 11.2 percent who think the president's policies "have discouraged illegal immigration." In order to discourage continued mass illegal immigration, 67.7 percent support requiring asylum seekers to file their claims from outside the United States. "Republicans, who seem likely to control the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress have made explicit promises to the American public that they will use their majority to hold the Biden administration accountable for their deliberate and destructive border and immigration policies. Voters want the border brought under control, the wall built, and our nation's immigration laws enforced," noted Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). "The likely Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, pledged that a border security bill will be the first piece of legislation he brings to the floor next year, and he has a clear mandate to fulfill that pledge. Additionally, the House must use its power of the purse to ensure that this administration is not given a blank check to spend taxpayer money to undermine immigration laws, as they have for the past two years. When it comes to immigration and border enforcement, the Biden administration has betrayed the trust of the American people. It is now up to congressional Republicans to show they can earn that trust," concluded Stein. The national exit poll of 2,000 midterm voters was conducted by Zogby Analytics on behalf of FAIR. Among the key findings of the FAIR national exit poll: - 83 percent of voters said immigration was an important factor in their voting decisions. - 56 percent believe the border is currently insecure, or out of control. - 64 percent want to see the border security wall completed. - 55 percent believe Biden's policies encourage mass illegal immigration, compared with only 11 percent who think his policies discourage it. - Two-thirds of voters want to end widespread abuse of our asylum process - 50 percent of voters believe that securing the border is the most pressing immigration policy issue facing the nation, while 12.3 percent think removing illegal aliens already here is the top priority. - Only 8.8 percent of voters believe granting amnesty to illegal aliens is a priority, while 23.2 percent think we should expand legal immigration to accommodate those who wish to come legally. The full results of the national exit poll, conducted between Nov. 9 and Nov. 11 can be found here.