In June, more than half of Americans told Gallup pollsters that they want to curb immigration, the highest share in more than two decades.

The surge in southern border crossings after the pandemic put the issue at the top of voters' minds. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for the White House, has capitalized on this dynamic—accusing immigrants of taking jobs that would otherwise go to native workers, spreading false rumors about migrants in Ohio, and proposing the biggest deportation program in U.S. history.

At the same time, Democrats have tried to strike a harder tone: The outgoing Biden administration has made it more difficult for immigrants to claim asylum, while Vice President Kamala Harris is pitching border reform and blaming the GOP for striking down a bi-partisan bill that Democrats say would have curbed immigration numbers.