Immigration was a dominant issue in the 2016 election, but not this time

Despite being a signature issue for President Trump, immigration has taken a back seat in the presidential election.

Trump has attempted to repurpose elements of his immigration agenda to fit political priorities of the moment, such as his “law and order” push.

According to a CNBC/Change Research survey earlier this month, only 15% of voters said immigration was a top issue for them, compared with 40% and 39% for the economy and Covid-19, respectively.

Three words echoed throughout Donald Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign: “Build the wall.”

Then, as president,...