Next presidential administration has to 'get serious' about immigration, say voters in key battleground state

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. – Immigration and border security are top concerns among Arizona residents, but voters Fox News Digital spoke with were split on whether former President Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris is better suited to tackle the issue.

"We have to have swifter incarceration at the border," Mary from Phoenix said. "And if there's a suspicion that they're going to commit a crime, lock them up."

More than 425,000 illegal immigrants with criminal convictions are currently out of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, according to data provided to lawmakers late last month. That includes more than 13,000 people convicted of homicide and nearly 16,000 convicted of sexual assault, according to ICE.

Immigrants line up at a remote U.S. Border Patrol processing center on Dec. 7, 2023, in Lukeville, Arizona. Data from ICE suggests tens of thousands of illegal immigrants convicted of murder and sex crimes could currently be loose in the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

IMMIGRANT MURDER CONVICTIONS 'TENS OF THOUSANDS' HIGHER THAN ICE'S BOMBSHELL FIGURES: DATA EXPERT

"That is pretty tragic," Bob from Tempe said when asked about the data. "The whole immigration needs to be reformed, and they need to get serious about it."

Mary and Bob both thought Harris would do a better job of addressing immigration. Mary said Harris and Biden had a "strong immigration bill before the Senate" this past spring before Trump rallied his allies to block the legislation.

"That was infuriating," she said. "And they all marched in step. So I know that if Kamala gets in, she will get it signed."

But Nick from Sun City West said Harris' immigration policy has been "dismal at best."

"Control the border," he said. "At least keep the border safe. Keep people from being able to get in that aren't supposed to be able to come in unless they come in through the regular normal channels."

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Trump narrowly leads Harris in the presidential contest in Arizona, according to a recent Fox News poll. Biden won the state in 2020 by less than half a percentage point, making him the first Democrat to capture the state since Bill Clinton in 1996.

In the Fox News poll, 56% of Arizona voters surveyed said they trust Trump to do a better job on the border, compared to 41% who preferred Harris.

"It sucks. Excuse my language," Greg from Phoenix said of Harris' handling of the immigration crisis. "It's just bad. They need to keep track of people."

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris visits the U.S. border with Mexico on Sept. 27, 2024, in Douglas, Arizona. The trip marked her first time at the southern border since 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Brian, also from Phoenix, said immigration is his top voting priority this year because it impacts "almost every issue, one way or the other." He's hoping the Grand Canyon State swings back to Trump this time around.

"He's been consistent [on the border]," Brian said, adding that Harris, who visited the southern border last month for the first time since 2021, has been "hypocritical."

Brian said, "She wasn't around, and now she is. That's politicians."

Click here to hear more from Maricopa County voters on immigration.