Margaret Brennan, a CBS News host, expressed confusion on Sunday regarding the outcome of a recent poll that indicated a majority of respondents favoring the deportation of all illegal immigrants.
According to Fox News, Brennan's bewilderment was evident as she discussed the poll results and the implications of such a stance.
Brennan stated, "Homeland Security says that President Biden has already deported or repatriated more people in the past year than any year since 2010. And then, depending on the details of whats talked about on the campaign trail, some of what Mr. Trump talks about could be illegal." She further questioned the practicality of such a move, especially concerning children, and the capacity of local and federal authorities to carry out such an operation.
The poll in question, conducted by CBS News/YouGov between June 5-7, revealed that 62% of registered voters would back a government initiative to deport all migrants residing in the U.S. illegally. The poll also indicated that the majority of registered voters supported Biden's recent executive action at the southern border.
Anthony Salvanto, CBS' director of elections and surveys, noted that the support for a deportation initiative was primarily among former President Trump's supporters, but it also found favor among some Democrats. "When you measure public sentiment on this or really just about any policy, you're getting a sense of direction. You're getting broad brushstrokes," Salvanto explained.
Salvanto further elaborated that the poll inquired whether respondents believed local authorities should participate in deporting migrants. "A lot of folks do say yes. Again, the details of that, the specifics, you're not going to pick that up in an aggregate public opinion," he said.
Salvanto also pointed out the growing sentiment that the current system is not functioning adequately. "We are in a different era in which a lot of folks say the system as a whole is not working. And all of these, if you connect the dots through them, are part of that reaction against it, which explains some of that general sentiment for some of these policies," he added.
Brennan concluded that the American public generally desires the government to take action. This sentiment aligns with Trump's plans to utilize the National Guard to deport migrants residing in the U.S. illegally, and his intention to execute "the largest domestic deportation operation in American history."
In contrast, Biden recently issued executive actions at the southern border, temporarily preventing migrants who cross the border illegally from claiming asylum. This proclamation will temporarily suspend the entry of non-citizens across the southern border once the number of average border encounters exceeds 2,500 a day over seven days. This measure will remain in effect until 14 days after there has been a seven-day average of less than 1,500 encounters along the border, making it easier for immigration officers to expedite the removal of individuals without a legal basis to remain in the U.S.
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