A quarter of Hispanic adults believe immigration is the nation’s most pressing problem, according to the latest Gallup Poll, nearly double the number who rated it on top earlier this year.
The numbers mean that President Obama’s decision to delay executive action on deportations of illegal immigrants could have an impact on the November election, according to Gallup.
“This lack of action on policymakers’ behalf could result in a Hispanic surge at the ballot box in November, or, alternatively, it could be a reason why many Hispanics choose not to vote,” Gallup concluded in the survey, taken between July and September.
The survey of more than 3,000 adults found 25 percent of Hispanics listed immigration atop the list of what is most important to them, up from 13 percent in the first half of 2014.
Comparatively, only 15 percent of adults nationally rated immigration as most important, jumping from 4 percent in the first sixth months of the year.
Immigration issues have been in the spotlight this year due to a massive surge in unaccompanied immigrant children crossing the southern border. Most of the children have been allowed to remain in the United States, pending court hearings. Critics blame President Obama and say he prompted the surge by signing an executive order allowing some young people who came here illegally as children to obtain work permits.
Overall, Gallup found that adults, including Hispanics, listed the economy as the most important issue by margin of 40 percent, followed by “dissatisfaction with government,” healthcare and terrorism.
