A recent Siena Poll released this morning, August 22, shows 82% if New Yorkers believe the recent influx of migrants into the state is a serious problem, with 16% not believing it is a problem.
Overall, 54% of those polled believe the problem is “very serious” and by a 46-32% margin, New Yorkers say migrants resettling in New York over the last 20 years has been a “burden” and not a “benefit” to the state. A majority also believe that they have done enough for migrants and the state should now work to slow the flow of migrants instead of accepting new migrants and working to assimilate them into the state.
Additionally, the poll revealed that President Joe Biden continues to hold a lead against former President Donald Trump, 47-34%, this is down from 50-28% back in June, according to Siena. Biden’s favorability rating also fell slightly since June, now at 46-50%. Only 47% of Democrats believe Biden should be the presidential nominee for 2024 with 46% wanting someone else.
“New Yorkers – including huge majorities of Democrats, Republicans, independents, upstaters and downstaters – overwhelmingly say that the recent influx of migrants to New York is a serious problem for the state,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg. “However, that’s where partisan agreement ends. A plurality of Democrats says that migrants resettling in New York over the last two decades has been a benefit. But, a majority of independents and two-thirds of Republicans say that migrant resettlement has been a burden to the state.”
For Governor Hochul, her favorability and jobs approvals have hit a new low. The recent poll shows Governor Hochul has a 40-46% favorability rating, and job approval rating at 46-46%.
“Hochul’s job approval rating has fallen in five consecutive Siena College polls since her highest ever approval in January, when she was 20 points positive, to now her lowest ever approval. In February, it was 16 points positive, 11 points in March, six in May, and four in June. It’s now break even, a loss of 20 points since the start of the year,” Greenberg said. “Voters approve of the job Hochul is doing to address climate change 46-39%, but they are break even on her managing of the state’s finances and increasing affordable housing. A majority of voters disapprove of how she’s addressing both crime and the recent influx of migrants.”
The Siena College Poll was conducted between the dates of August 13 – 16 among 803 NYS registered voters.
