Shifting American Attitudes Toward Immigration
Recent surveys reveal a notable shift in how Americans view immigration. The sentiment has turned more positive, reversing a four-year trend of growing concerns about the effects of immigration on the country. A significant drop in the number of Americans who want to reduce immigration has been observed, with only 30% now expressing this desire, down from 55% in 2024. Additionally, 79% of Americans believe that immigration is a positive force, marking a record high.
These findings come at a time when border crossings have decreased and the Trump administration has initiated multiple rounds of mass deportation. Despite these actions, public opinion is showing signs of change, with more people disapproving of how the administration is managing immigration issues.
Public Opinion on Immigration Levels
Among U.S. adults, the views on the level of immigration are diverse. Thirty percent now say they want immigration reduced, while 38% would like it to remain the same, and 26% believe it should be increased. Political affiliation significantly influences these opinions. While the percentage of Americans wanting to reduce immigration has declined across all political groups, Republicans remain the only group where a majority (48%) still favor slowing immigration.
Support for offering pathways to citizenship to undocumented immigrants has also grown, with 78% of Americans backing the idea, up from 70% in 2024. This reflects a broader shift toward more inclusive policies.
Enforcement and Deportation Policies
Public support for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents has decreased to 59%, and support for expanding the border wall has dropped to 45%. Similarly, the idea of deporting all undocumented immigrants has seen a decline, with only 38% now supporting it, compared to 47% last year.
A proposed policy that would prevent alleged gang members from challenging their deportation in court has split public opinion. Half of the population supports the policy, while 45% oppose it.
Disapproval of Trump’s Immigration Policies
The Trump administration’s approach to immigration has faced growing disapproval. Sixty-two percent of Americans disapprove of how the administration is handling immigration, with 45% strongly disapproving. Only 21% of U.S. adults strongly approve of the administration’s efforts.
Partisan divides are evident in these views. Eighty-five percent of Republicans approve of the administration’s handling of immigration, while only 28% of independents and 2% of Democrats share this approval.
Racial and Ethnic Perspectives
Race also plays a role in shaping attitudes toward immigration. The administration’s policies have primarily targeted Hispanic immigrants who entered the country through the southern border. As a result, Hispanic adults show lower support for deportation by 15 points and are more likely to support immigrants obtaining a pathway to citizenship by 13 points.
However, when it comes to the overall level of immigration, Hispanic adults are slightly more inclined to support reducing immigration, with 39% saying so, compared to 30% of the general population. This highlights the complex interplay between race, policy, and public opinion in the ongoing debate over immigration.
