A new study has found that 54 percent of Americans want to increase deportations of illegal immigrants.
The study, conducted by Pew Research, also found that 68 percent of Americans believe it is important to increase security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Naturally, the responses were heavily divided by party, with 91 percent of Republicans saying that increasing border security is very or somewhat important. Meanwhile, just about half of Democrats and Democratic leaners (49%) rate increased border security as an important policy goal.
“The divide between partisans is even larger when it comes to increased deportations of unauthorized immigrants. Around eight-in-ten Republicans (83%) say that increasing deportations is important, including 51% who say it is very important. Among Democrats, only around three-in-ten (31%) call this an important goal, and just 10% call it very important,” Pew reports.
In the fiscal year ending in September, the amount of migrant apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border reached its highest level since 2007. The number of refugees coming to the US also hit its lowest point in nearly 40 years.
“There were 851,508 apprehensions in the 2019 fiscal year (October 2018-September 2019), a 115% increase from the previous fiscal year and the highest total in 12 years. Still, the total remained far below the 1,643,679 apprehensions recorded in 2000, the peak year,” Pew reported earlier this month.
