Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, along with Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) have introduced the Fix the Immigration Loopholes Act in order “to protect minors and asylum seekers, while reducing fraud at the southern border.”
A poll released January 28 found that 88% of registered voters said Congress should address wall funding and amnesty for those eligible for DACA as separate issues, not tie them together as some members of Congress are suggesting.
NBC long-time news anchor Tom Brokaw caused a backlash from many of his colleagues in the media when he gave his opinion that Hispanic immigrants should make more of an effort to assimilate, especially learning to speak English, and that Americans should help them work toward that goal. National Review editor Rich Lowry responded to the firestorm.
Americans are bombarded with polls telling them what they think. Often, these polls are presented in a way to convince Americans what they should think. To understand how well a poll captures public opinion the key is to look at how the questions are being asked and who are being asked the questions.
A Rasmussen poll released January 11 found that almost half of likely voters surveyed think the government isn’t doing enough to prevent illegal immigration. When asked “Is the government doing too much or too little to stop illegal immigration? Or is the level of action about right?,” 48% of likely voters say the government is doing too little, 28% say too much, and 17% think the level of action is about right.
Many in the media are reporting that there is no crisis at the border because apprehensions are below "historic highs." That is true, but this framing is misleading. The increase in family units, unaccompanied minors, and asylum seekers has created an untenable situation. And total apprehensions increased in FY2018. The media recognized the problem in 2014. Now they tell us there's no need for concern.
A POLITICO/Morning Consult poll found public opinion split on the need to build a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, although the question implied that the intent was to build it along the entire border. That isn't what President Trump, or anyone in Congress, has proposed. What was clear is that voters find illegal immigration to be a problem (79%), with a strong plurality believing it constitutes a crisis.
The federal government is shut down, at least partially. The reason, we are told, is President Trump's demand for a "wall." That isn't really the President's demand, and that really isn't why we are at such an impasse.
Despite the constant drumbeat of reports to the contrary, there is no worker shortage in the United States. If there were, our crops would go unpicked, our lawns unmown, and our computer games uncoded. Maybe there's something else behind these claims.
The House of Representatives passed a spending bill Thursday evening that included $5.7 billion for the building of a barrier on the U.S. border. The Senate must pass the House bill by midnight Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.