Majority of Texans, 40 percent of Hispanics and Latinos support migrant bussing: poll

A poll released Thursday indicates that a majority of Texas residents and more than 40% of Hispanic and Latino voters in the state support efforts from leaders in the state to bus illegal migrants to other areas of the country. 

The poll also shows incumbent GOP Gov. Greg Abbott maintaining a lead with all voters over his Democratic challenger, Beto O’Rourke.

The statewide poll from Spectrum News and Siena College — which surveyed 651 likely Texas voters — revealed that 41% of Hispanics in the state favor efforts by the state to transport illegal migrants to cities like New York and Chicago, while 44% of Hispanics oppose the process.

Overall, 52% of Texas voters said they favor the practice. Seventy percent of Democrats said they disagree with the bussing of migrants to other cities, compared to 16% of the party’s voters who said they favor it. As for Republicans, 87% said they favor the process and 10% stated they disagree with it.

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The results from the survey come after Abbott and other leaders in the state orchestrated efforts this year to send numerous buses loaded with illegal migrants from Texas to other parts of the country in spite of President Biden’s handling of the crisis along the southern border. The move has sparked backlash among city leaders who have dealt with the incoming migrants, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Asked about their views of Operation Lone Star, an operation launched by Gov. Greg Abbott last year that dispatched thousands of state troopers and National Guard members with the power to arrest trespassing migrants, 45% of Hispanic voters said they strongly or somewhat support the effort. In contrast, 47% of Hispanic voters stated they somewhat oppose or strongly oppose the operation.

As for the state overall, 58% of voters who took part in the survey stated they strongly or somewhat approve of Operation Lone Star, compared to 35% who said they strongly or somewhat oppose the effort.

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President Biden’s approval among Hispanic voters in Texas appears to be slipping further, with 55% of Latinos saying they strongly or somewhat disapprove of his job performance, compared to the 43% who said they strongly or somewhat approve of his performance in the White House.

Despite Biden’s ratings with Hispanics in the state, results from the poll showed Beto O’Rourke, who will face off against Abbott in the state’s Nov. 8 general election, maintains good standing with the community.

Fifty-three percent of Hispanics said they hold a favorable view of O’Rourke, compared to 34% of Hispanics who said the same about Abbott. Among all surveyed voters, 39% hold a favorable view of O’Rourke and 47% hold a favorable view of Abbott.

Asked if the election were held today, 58% of Hispanic voters said they would vote for O’Rourke and 36% said they would vote for Abbott. Overall, 50% of the state’s voters who responded to the survey said they would vote for Abbott, compared to 43% who said they would toss their support behind O’Rourke if the election took place today.

The Spectrum News and Siena College poll, conducted from Sept. 14 -18, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4%.