Illegal immigration a top 2024 election issue with immigrant crime map, poll shows problem

Illegal immigration is one of the most important problems for Americans, and a new "Illegal Alien Crime" map as well as a poll about language surrounding the issue highlights the significance of the border crisis in the minds of voters ahead of the 2024 election.

Polling from Gallup shows that U.S. adults have consistently ranked immigration as a top issue every month since at least November 2023. The polls come as the Biden administration has overseen record numbers of illegal immigrant encounters. 

Recent high-profile examples of crimes committed by illegal immigrants has led former President Donald Trump to popularize a new phrase, "Biden migrant crime," when addressing the issue.

"Biden Migrant Crime is out of control and is ravaging America! Last night, two brave NYPD officers doing their job were shot by a Monster Illegal Immigrant who came here illegally from Venezuela last year and was living in a tax-payer funded migrant shelter," Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this month. "Crooked Joe Biden has trafficked in the worst people from around the world, many with heinous criminal records, and unleashed them into our communities."

The former president also expressed his sympathy with victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Last week, Trump called the mother of Rachel Morin, a mother of five who was murdered while on a hiking trail in Maryland. Illegal immigrant Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, 23, was charged in connection to her death.

"I am deeply touched by President Trump’s kindness and concern," Rachel Morin's mother, Patty Morin, said after her conversation with Trump. "He was genuine and truly wanted to know how our family was coping. He asked about Rachel and showed honest compassion for her untimely death."

Trump is not the only one taking notice. 

Restoration News, associated with the conservative non-profit education group Restoration of America, on Monday, announced a new map that tracks crimes committed by illegal immigrants in recent years.

The map, which can be found at IllegalAlienCrimes.com, breaks down examples of crimes committed by illegal immigrants by counties. 

"There’s no better proof that Democrats don’t care about everyday Americans than the mountain of crimes committed across the country by illegal aliens invited in by Joe Biden," Restoration News said in an announcement about the map.

Meanwhile, a poll earlier this year shows the language of U.S. voters surrounding the issue appears to be starkly different from that of the establishment media.

Since 2013, The Associated Press Stylebook has directed writers to only use the terms illegal immigrant, illegal alien, illegal or undocumented in direct quotations. "Acceptable variations include living in or entering a country illegally or without legal permission," the Stylebook states. 

However, a poll conducted by RMG Research, Inc. in February showed that 55% of voters said the "best way to describe people who cross the U.S. border without registering with immigration officials" is as "illegal immigrants." Meanwhile, 24% of respondents said the best term is "undocumented migrants." 

That RMG poll was conducted with 1,000 registered voters from Feb. 5-6, 2024, and it has a 3.1% margin of error.

The issue has the potential to swing the 2024 election in favor of Trump, as another poll released last week showed that Hispanic voters in battleground states trust Trump more than Biden on immigration.

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