Increasing number of Americans call situation at southern border a ‘crisis,’ poll shows

Americans who consider the wave of illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border a “crisis” has increased in recent months as the problem has escalated, a new poll shows.

A CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday found that 45% of Americans call the situation a “crisis,” up from 38% in May. Thirty percent said it is “very serious,” 18% “somewhat serious” and 7% “not much of a problem.”

The majority, 63%, said the Biden administration “should be tougher” on immigrants crossing at the southern border, up from 53% in September.

The survey came as Congress weighs strengthening southern border security and the U.S. faces a record influx of illegal crossings, including 300,000 in December.

A bipartisan group of senators aim to reach a deal this week on border security policies to attach to a broader $110 billion national security bill for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. House Republicans are warning they won’t be won over without major concessions from the Biden administration.

But President Biden and congressional Republicans alike earn poor marks on handling the U.S.-Mexico border. The poll found that just 32% approved of the president and 35% for congressional Republicans. Roughly two-thirds of respondents disapproved of both camps, with 68% disapproval for Mr. Biden and 65% disapproval for congressional Republicans.

The survey was conducted Jan. 3-5 among 2,157 U.S. adult residents, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.