Descriptive Statistics
Introduction
Descriptive statistics involve the use of brief coefficients that summarize a data set. They can include measures of central tendency such as the mean, median and mode, variability measures such as standard deviation and variance, or measures of frequency such as percent and counting rules (Pérez-Vicente & Ruiz, 2009). During this pandemic period, descriptive statistics are used to describe and understand the data at hand and the actions that have arisen from this data. In an article on USA Today, descriptive statistics show how American citizens feel about their President’s immigration policies.
Article Summary
Amid the pandemic, countries have had to place heavy restrictions on all borders. It is no different in America where the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and other temporary restrictions have been placed on immigration. Most, if not all, Americans agree and support these restrictions as they reduce transmission. 81% of Republicans, 49% of Democrats and 62% of independent voters support these restrictions (Gomez, 2020). This is according to a poll carried out by Ipsos and USA Today.
The President’s largest supporters, Republicans are showing an apparent disconnect from his rigid immigration policies since they largely support the systems already in place. By choosing to attack and dismantle these policies, Trump is losing a lot of support. This is especially true with his push to expand the southern border wall (Garett, 2020). Furthermore, since the closing of the borders, Customs and Border Protection has used emergency powers to deny entry to over 100,000 immigrants and suspended regular visa services at consulates and embassies.
Furthermore, according to a report by the New York Times, the President is considering a ban on US citizens and permanent residents from reentering the country should they show signs of Covid-19. This is a move that could largely alienate many of his supporters (Gomez, 2020). This same poll showed that all Americans, regardless of political association, do not want their fundamental American rights violated, which Trump would do to enforce this ban.
It is clear that while many support the temporary border restrictions, there are apparent problematic aspects of the immigration policy. Immigrants’ inhumane treatment at US borders has been common knowledge for a while now (Pierce, Bolter & Selee, 2018). Should such a ban be passed, US citizens realize that they would have to go through these similar systems that have hurt many before, showing a blatant need for improving how immigrants are treated.
The poll also showed that Trump’s attempt at ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by President Obama to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children has put him at the wrong end with his supporters. 69% of Republicans support this program wholly and hate that Trump is trying to end it (Gomez, 2020). Trump has also suspended and cutback on asylum systems that help refugees of war or persecution. However, over 60% of his support base agrees with the effectiveness and need of these programs.
By President Trump choosing to attack these vital immigration policies, he continues to polarize himself from his supporters, steadily losing followers ahead of the November vote.
Article Application
This article reflects on how President Trump is losing support due to his hard-hitting immigration policies. The article uses data from a poll conducted earlier this year, grouping subjects by their political affiliations. Since the Covid pandemic, all borders were closed, a move many participants agreed with since it reduces transmission chances. However, Trump’s other immigration policies have been met with anger since they are heartless. For instance, the DACA program, which Trump has tried repeatedly to shut, enjoys support from 69% of Republicans- his prominent supporters. This attack on such vital programs takes away the concept that America is the land of opportunity. The perpetuation of the notion that immigrants take away opportunities from other Americans has also been debunked, showing that when people have more information, they tend to see immigrants differently (Wood, 2018). The President’s move to take away these helpful immigration policies has his supporters changing tune and disagreeing with him.
The article chose to use the various types of data, mainly measures of frequency and central tendency to have a wide range of data from which to determine public opinion. The different political affiliations give more weight to the information retrieved from the poll. It shows how support is distributed across the board.
Conclusion
Descriptive statistics are crucial to understanding challenging quantitative data, breaking it down into bite-sized descriptions. The article from USA Today uses descriptive statistics to determine the percentage of the population that supports the President’s moves and that which does not. Immigration policies have always been a key point when choosing leaders. With his policies, Trump is losing support even from his own team.
References
Garrett, T. M. (2020). COVID-19, wall building, and the effects on Migrant Protection Protocols by the Trump administration: the spectacle of the worsening human rights disaster on the Mexico-US border. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 1-9.paediatrics open, 2(1).
Gomez, A. (2020). Poll shows growing disconnect over Trump’s hard-line immigration policies. USA Today.
Pérez-Vicente, S., & Ruiz, M. E. (2009). Descriptive statistics. Allergologia et immunopathologia, 37(6), 314-320.
Pierce, S., Bolter, J., & Selee, A. (2018). US immigration policy under Trump: Deep Changes and lasting impacts. Migration Policy Institute, 9.
Wood, L. C. (2018). Impact of punitive immigration policies, parent-child separation, and child detention on children’s mental health and development. BMJ