A recent Gallup poll reveals a significant shift in American attitudes toward immigration, with a notable increase in support across the board, including amongst Republicans. Today, 79% of U.S. adults view immigration as a ‘good thing’ for the country, representing a dramatic rise from 64% just a year ago and marking the highest level of support in nearly 25 years. Meanwhile, the share of Americans categorizing immigration as a ‘bad thing’ has plummeted to about 20%, down from 32% in the previous year.
The positive change in public sentiment emerges shortly after President Donald Trump regained office amid prevailing anti-immigration sentiments. The new data from Gallup suggests that views are moving toward a more pro-immigration stance, which could present challenges for Trump’s agenda focused on mass deportations and other stringent immigration policies.
Throughout his tenure, President Trump has urged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enact what he claims would be ‘the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.’ His administration has also actively sought to restrict access to federal benefits for undocumented immigrants, proposed measures to revoke the citizenship of immigrants convicted of crimes, and aimed to eliminate birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents without legal status or who are present temporarily.
National attitudes toward immigration policies have shown marked changes over the last year as well, highlighted by increased support among Republicans. The percentage of Republicans who now support immigration has increased dramatically, with roughly two-thirds affirming that immigrants contribute positively to the nation, up from just 39% last year. This shift mirrors a similar rise among independents, with support for immigration soaring from around two-thirds to 80% in the same timeframe. Meanwhile, Democrats have remained overwhelmingly supportive of immigration, maintaining strong pro-immigrant sentiments in recent years.
In addition to increasing approval of immigration, a significant decline has been noted in the number of Americans advocating for decreased immigration levels. Since President Trump took office, the proportion of Americans who desire reduced immigration has dropped dramatically from 55% to 30%. More individuals now prefer to keep current immigration levels stable rather than seek an increase; approximately 40% believe immigration should remain as it is, while only 26% favor raising immigration levels.
The shifting views among Republicans illustrate a softening of sharp anti-immigrant sentiments that previously helped President Trump reclaim the White House. Those favoring reduced immigration within the Republican Party dropped from a concerning 88% to 48% over the past year. Furthermore, nearly 40% of Republicans now advocate for maintaining current immigration levels, while only about 10% would prefer to see an increase.
Factors contributing to this Republican trend may include satisfaction with the Trump administration’s stringent immigration enforcement policies, as well as emerging support for pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The Gallup poll indicates that increased backing for citizenship pathways may contradict some of the Trump administration’s primary objectives.
According to the latest polling, most Americans now support enabling immigrants who are residing in the U.S. illegally to attain citizenship contingent upon meeting specified requirements over time. An impressive 85% of U.S. adults back a pathway to citizenship for individuals brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Nearly as many individuals express support for offering a similar opportunity to all undocumented immigrants as long as they fulfill certain conditions.
This growing acceptance of pathways to citizenship is primarily driven by an uptick in Republican support, which now stands at about 60%, rising from 46% last year. This sentiment was already high among independents and Democrats, underscoring a wider shift in the American public’s immigration policies.
Finally, support for the deportation of immigrants living in the country illegally has decreased across the political spectrum, although the change is less dramatic. Currently, around 40% of U.S. adults endorse deporting undocumented immigrants, a decline from approximately half a year ago.
Overall, the Gallup poll illustrates an evolving landscape in U.S. attitudes toward immigration, along with increasing support for policies that align more closely with inclusivity rather than exclusion, suggesting a complex and changing debate as the nation grapples with its immigration policies.
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