President Joe Biden’s popularity took a hit in January, as concerns over the economy and immigration intensified among Americans, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed.
Released on Wednesday, the poll indicated that only 38% of respondents approved of Biden’s performance as president, a drop from 40% in December.
This decline underscores a trend where Biden’s public approval has remained below 50% since August 2021, raising alarms within the Democratic Party as he gears up for a potential reelection battle against Republican former President Donald Trump in November.
Another Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier in the month even suggested Trump held a six percentage-point lead in a hypothetical matchup.
Immigration emerged as a mounting concern, with 17% of respondents identifying it as the most pressing issue facing the country, a notable increase from December’s 11%.
Among Republicans, immigration topped the list of worries, with 36% naming it their primary concern, surpassing the 29% who cited the economy.
Biden’s administration has grappled with a surge of asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border, while Republican opposition in Congress, emboldened by Trump, threatens bipartisan efforts to address the issue.
Efforts to impeach Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Majorkas, have intensified amid challenges at the border.
December saw U.S. border authorities struggle to manage migrants, with apprehensions reaching nearly 11,000 in a single day, nearing or exceeding record highs.
The economy remained a significant worry for Americans, cited by 22% of respondents, reflecting ongoing struggles with inflation and other repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, nearly two-thirds of respondents, including 47% of Democrats, expressed the belief that the country was on the wrong track.
The online survey polled 1,019 U.S. adults from Friday through Sunday, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points for all respondents, and 6.4 and 6.1 points for Republican and Democratic respondents respectively.