Disapproval of Obama on immigration spikes

Disapproval of President Obama’s handling of immigration reached a new high in Gallup polling released Friday. 

The survey found 65 percent of people disapprove of Obama’s handling of the issue, a 10-point spike since last August. 

The president’s approval rating on the issue has fallen to 31 percent, only two points higher than his all-time low in 2010 when the polling firm first began testing the issue.

{mosads}The numbers come nearly a year after the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill that has stalled in the House. Many say the chances of a deal in the lower chamber have narrowed after the primary loss of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).

The survey also comes amid reports of a sharp rise in unaccompanied minors being detained crossing over the Mexican border. 

Republicans have blamed the administration, saying Obama’s deferred action program for some minors brought to the country illegally before 2007 is creating a misperception in Central America that children will not be deported. 

Crime in certain Latin American countries, including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, is the largest driver of the recent increase, the administration has said. 

Democratic approval of Obama on the issue has dropped 6 points since last year and currently stands at 60 percent. Independent approval has dropped from 33 percent to 25 percent; Republican approval is at 8 percent on the issue. 

Obama’s overall approval rating in Gallup polling is 41 percent, largely unchanged since last year. It does not appear that his diminished numbers on immigration have hurt his overall approval, since immigration reform is near the bottom of the list of the public’s priorities. 

The poll surveyed 1,027 people from June 5-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.