As the number of migrants crossing the southern border has risen to record levels, public support for immigration has gone down, including among Democrats. The Democratic response, from the White House on down, has been to shift toward advocating stronger border enforcement. But there’s no debating the impact on public opinion: The share of the public favoring increased immigration has dropped significantly, including among Democrats. That drew angry protests from immigration supporters, including California Sen. Alex Padilla, who publicly split with Biden over the issue. The question now is how far the pendulum will swing back and whether Democrats can find a middle ground on immigration without splitting their party in the process.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 20, 2024 19:16 UTC