CNN pundit Scott Jennings stated on Sunday that immigration issues are severely damaging President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign. Amara Walker, a host on CNN, asked Jennings to respond to former President Donald Trump’s controversial suggestion about a fight league for migrants.
Jennings highlighted the significant support for Trump’s immigration policies, noting, “Two-thirds of the American people support Donald Trump’s policy prescriptions for immigration right now, including a majority of Hispanics in the United States.” This reflects the widespread frustration with the current administration’s handling of immigration.
Walker pressed Jennings, questioning if Trump’s comments were racist and xenophobic. She suggested that Trump was dehumanizing migrants by painting them as violent and using them as entertainment. Jennings countered by pointing to specific cases where illegal migrants have been accused of committing serious crimes, including murder and rape, during Biden’s administration. “Is he painting them as being violent? I mean, would Laken Riley think they were violent? Would Rachel Morin think they were violent? Would Jocelyn Nungaray in Texas think they were violent?” Jennings asked, emphasizing the real-world consequences of uncontrolled immigration.
Jennings acknowledged that while there are violent individuals within the country, Trump’s “colorful language” highlights a significant issue. “But the bottom line is immigration is killing Joe Biden’s campaign right now. This is why he has a low approval rating,” Jennings stated. He pointed out that Trump’s focus on this issue resonates with the public, who are frustrated and fed up with the current situation.
Jennings concluded by addressing the accusation of racism and xenophobia. He argued that dismissing the concerns of two-thirds of the country as racist or xenophobic is not a winning strategy. “And if you want to call two-thirds of the country racist or xenophobic because they’re in a mood right now that they want this fixed, yes, agree. By all means, go on. It’s not going to work,” he asserted, underlining the public’s demand for effective immigration reform.
Despite recent efforts by Biden, including an executive order to temporarily restrict asylum requests and a policy to protect undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens, his approval rating remains low. According to the latest FiveThirtyEight average of polls, Biden’s approval rating is at 39.5%, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with his handling of immigration and other key issues.
