70% of voters are more likely to support a candidate who demands border security accountability from America’s neighbors as part of USMCA negotiations
The conservative nonprofit Building America’s Future (BAF) today released new polling showing that border security is the defining issue for American voters as the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA) approaches its renewal date, with an overwhelming majority standing behind the Trump administration to hold Canada and Mexico accountable for their security responsibilities as a condition of any new agreement.
57% of likely general election voters back President Trump’s border security leadership and see requiring greater security responsibilities from Canada and Mexico as the next step in a border crackdown agenda. The survey’s release comes as the USMCA review process is underway, with the deadline for renewal in early July.
More key findings are as follows:
- 61% say the Trump administration should prioritize border security over economic access in a renegotiated USMCA.
- 41% are less likely to support the current USMCA after learning Canada and Mexico have created “open border zones” exploited by cartels.
- 72% support making illicit trade a specific customs offense under the USMCA.
- 72% support requiring Canada and Mexico to enforce their own laws and close indigenous land smuggling loopholes.
- 65% support a dedicated task force to stop illicit e-cigarettes flowing from China through Canada.
- 70% say they would be more likely to support a candidate who demands USMCA border security accountability.
Building America’s Future polled N=1,003 likely general election voters across the U.S. Read the full polling memo here.
BACKGROUND:
- Building America’s Future, in April 2025, launched an expansion of its 2024 “Chaos at the Border” campaign to confront the challenges at the northern border.
- The launch was paired with a six-figure ad, “Predator” that ran across TV and digital in the Washington, DC media market.
- In May 2025, BAF bracketed the White House meeting between President Trump and Canadian PM Mark Carney with mobile billboards urging PM Carney to help President Trump secure the northern border.
- In May of 2025, BAF also launched an experiential outdoor advertising campaign in Canada outside the B7 Summit on May 14-15, 2025, telling Prime Minister Carney to secure our shared border.


