Illegal immigration has been a major issue ahead of the 2024 primary and general election, especially following the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley, who was allegedly killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who had been previously arrested in New York City and Athens, Georgia, though ICE detainers were ignored by these sanctuary cities.
There's been shockwaves throughout the country as illegal immigrants have been arrested for crimes, including in Virginia, one of the several states voting in tonight's Super Tuesday contests. Even more relevant is that Virginia Democrats have passed a bill that would strengthen a federal program known as 340b, which could be used to expand health care coverage for illegal immigrants.
The Tyson Group recently released a poll indicating that Republican likely primary voters in Virginia are not fans of such legislation, and that it could hurt Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R-VA) chances at higher office if he were to support such a bill.
The bill, SB 119, passed the Virginia Senate on February 9, while the House of Delegates passed it last Friday, and so it's on Youngkin to act. Following last November's statewide elections, Democrats just narrowly control both chambers. As RealClearPolitics' Philip Wegmann highlighted last month, though, bright blue states like New York are using the federal program to subsidize "costs of care for [the] undocumented."
Per the Community Healthcare Association of New York, in that state, the federal 340B program is used to subsidize "costs of care for [the] undocumented." https://t.co/2Gl9zr0wlc pic.twitter.com/c76CHy6TMh
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) February 7, 2024
Building America's Future also released an ad warning about 340b.
The 340b program is using your tax dollars to provide free healthcare for illegal immigrants. We need Republicans to stand up for us. pic.twitter.com/j51vRg2gpx
— Building America's Future (@bldgUSAfuture) February 25, 2024
"A federal program is being misused by health care providers in states around the country to subsidize health care for illegal immigrants. Do you support or oppose states strengthening the program and expanding access to subsidized health care for illegal immigrants," the poll asked. A whopping 80 percent of respondents said they oppose, including 74 percent who "strongly oppose."
When asked if they'd "be more or less likely to vote for Glenn Youngkin for higher office if he strengthened a program that subsidizes healthcare for illegal immigrants," 62 percent said they'd be less likely. This includes 52 percent who said they'd be "much less."
The Virginia state constitution prohibits Youngkin from running for back-to-back terms as governor, though his name has been floated before as a senatorial candidate as well as a potential vice presidential pick or even president. The poll shows that 81 percent of Republican voters likely to vote in the primary have a favorable view of Youngkin, with 46 percent saying it's "very favorable."
"The governor will review all legislation that comes to his desk. He is deeply concerned about the federal 340b program and how it could be exploited to provide taxpayer subsidized healthcare to illegal immigrants," Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez shared in response to a request for comment from Townhall.
As other polls have shown, this one finds that Republican voters are motivated ahead of the November election by immigration. With 79 percent saying "stopping illegal immigration" is a "very important" issue it comes in only second to the 85 percent who say "improving the economy" is a "very important" issue.
The poll asked about issues with illegal immigration not specific to Virginia as well. A plurality, at 41 percent, said they had heard "a lot" about Riley's death.
They were also asked about cooperation with ICE. "Elected officials across the country are passing laws that prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with US Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). As a result, tragedies like Laken's have occurred across the country. Would you be more or less likely to vote for an elected official who has supported weak immigration enforcement legislation," respondents were asked. Seventy-seven percent said they were less likely to vote for such an elected official, including 64 percent who said "much less."
The poll was conducted February 29 - March 2 with 308 Virginia self-identified Republican likely primary voters and a margin of error of plus or minus 6 percentage points.
Another nationwide poll from the Tyson Group conducted last week also touched upon Riley's death and found similar results.