In a recent Gallup poll conducted from April 1-22, Americans consistently identified immigration as the most pressing issue facing the United States, marking the third consecutive month for this trend. Approximately 27% of respondents named immigration as the top problem, representing the longest continuous period in the past 24 years where immigration has dominated public concern.
In December 2023, immigration tied with government issues as the most significant concern for Americans, coinciding with a period of increased migrant encounters at the southern border. By February, however, immigration had surpassed government issues as the primary concern, coinciding with the introduction of a controversial bipartisan border and foreign aid package.
This year's trend marks the first time in Gallup's monthly updates since March 2001 that immigration has maintained its position as the most important issue for several consecutive months. While immigration has periodically ranked as the top issue since 2000, including in 2014, 2018, and 2019, its current three-month streak signifies a unique level of public attention.
Gallup's assessment notes that immigration stands out as the most politically polarizing issue over the past 25 years of their measurement. The record surge of migrants in December 2023, though slightly abated since then, has kept the issue in the spotlight, particularly due to President Joe Biden's consistently low approval ratings for his handling of immigration.
Over the past 24 years, the economy has been ranked as the top issue 101 times, making it the most frequent concern among Americans. The government has taken the top spot 85 times, while the Iraq War was the primary issue 50 times. The latest poll shows that 48% of Republicans and 25% of Independents view immigration as the most critical problem, compared to just 8% of Democrats.
The percentage of Republicans citing immigration as the top issue has decreased from a high of 57% in February. In 2019, up to 20% of Democrats considered immigration the most important problem. The latest survey indicates a new high among independents mentioning immigration, although similar levels were recorded in 2019 and recent months, according to Gallup.