Amidst the ongoing challenge of inflation impacting citizens’ finances, a recent Gallup poll reveals a noteworthy shift in the reasons adults disapprove of President Joe Biden, with the border crisis now taking center stage. The poll indicates that specific issue-related concerns, especially immigration, account for the largest share of disapproval, with 19% highlighting it as the top reason. This surpasses concerns related to his personal traits and age. Immigration, once a concern in the backdrop, has ascended to a prominent position as a leading cause of disapproval for Biden’s presidency.
The growing dissatisfaction with Biden’s handling of the border crisis recently manifested in House Republicans orchestrating the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, intensifying the scrutiny on the administration’s immigration policies. Some prominent Republicans have even voiced support for impeaching Biden over the border crisis. Gallup’s survey, part of a broader assessment of Biden’s performance and the upcoming 2024 race, indicates that Biden currently holds the lowest approval rating at this stage of the first term compared to his predecessors, standing at 41%.
Despite recent acknowledgments by Biden characterizing the situation at the border as a crisis, he has attributed the challenges to Republican obstruction of reforms. The president, upon assuming office, swiftly dismantled many of former President Donald Trump’s border policies through executive orders. According to Gallup, 47% of voters who disapprove of Biden point to specific problems, with immigration at the forefront, while 23% cite personal characteristics, emphasizing sentiments of incompetence, age, and mental fitness concerns.
Additionally, 18% of disapproving voters attribute their stance to a general dissatisfaction with Biden’s job performance, characterizing it as “bad.” On the flip side, those who approve of Biden’s performance often cite the comparative factor, stating that he is “better than Trump” as a key reason for their positive assessment. The poll reflects a complex landscape of public sentiment, where issue-centric disapproval, particularly regarding immigration, plays a pivotal role in shaping perceptions of Biden’s presidency.
