The majority of working Americans believe the United States has too much immigration, a new poll reveals.
The Grinnell College poll, in partnership with Ann Selzer, who is considered the best pollster, asked American adults if they agree or disagree that there are “too many immigrants coming to the U.S.”
The poll, like others, shows that Americans most likely to compete against newly arrived legal immigrants for U.S. jobs are those most likely to support reducing legal immigration levels – where more than 1.2 million foreign nationals are awarded green cards annually.
For example, among Americans earning less than $50,000 a year, 52 percent agreed that the U.S. has too much immigration. Meanwhile, 57 percent of Americans earning $100,000 or more a year said they disagreed that the U.S. has too much immigration.
Likewise, among Americans without college degrees, 52 percent said the U.S. has too much immigration. Those with college degrees said by a majority of nearly 60 percent that they disagree with the statement that the U.S. takes too many immigrants.
(Center for Immigration Studies)
Overall, Americans are split when asked about immigration without being told existing legal immigration levels. About 45 percent said the U.S. has too much immigration, while 50 percent said they disagree. With swing voters, 42 percent said the U.S. takes too many immigrants, while 55 percent disagreed with that statement.
The poll underscores years of polling, showing that reducing legal immigration levels is a mainstream policy position for Republicans, conservatives, supporters of President Trump, and key demographics to the GOP coalition.
About 75 percent of Trump voters, 72 percent of Republicans, and 72 percent of self-identified conservatives said the U.S. has too much immigration, suggesting their support for reductions.
Similarly, rural Americans, by a 63 percent majority said the U.S. has too much immigration along with the majority of Protestants, Catholics, and Evangelicals. Cuts to immigration are the most popular among Evangelicals, in terms of religious groups, who said by a 62 percent majority that the U.S. takes too many immigrants.
Catholic priests of Saint Charles Missions from Latin America, the U.S., and Canada gather to pray at the US-Mexico border fence in Tijuana, Baja California State, Mexico, on July 4, 2019. (Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images)
The poll comes as the U.S. Census Bureau has projected that current legal immigration levels will drive the nation’s foreign-born population to an unprecedented 69 million by 2060. The data indicates that about 1-in-6 U.S. residents in less than four decades will have been born outside the U.S. if legal immigration levels are not reduced.
The nation’s foreign-born population stands at 44.5 million — a 108-year record high.
The poll also showed huge opposition to President Joe Biden’s handling of immigration, where the administration has opted for an expansive Catch and Release policy for illegal aliens arriving at international borders, plans to drive up the number of foreign workers brought in to take American jobs, and a legislative plan to give amnesty to millions of illegal aliens living in the U.S.
Overall, almost 6-in-10 Americans said they disapprove of Biden’s handling of immigration while just 27 percent said they approve.
President Joe Biden stands by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas after signing executive orders related to immigration in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 2, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Most significant, among Americans who voted for Biden, a small majority of 55 percent said they approve of his immigration record thus far, while 25 percent said they disapprove. About 59 percent of swing voters said they disapprove, while only 22 percent said they approve.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News.