Trump's immigration policy divides the public, despite massive support for deporting illegal migrants with criminal records

A majority of Americans support deporting illegal immigrants, especially those who committed crimes. When asked how it is being carried out, however, opinion is divided. So say polls on the administration's immigration policy, with some tipping the scales toward majority approval and others toward disapproval.

RealClear Polling's poll aggregator, which analyzes 10 polls from the past month, the most recent being last week, finds a slight tilt toward disapproval (-0.5%): 48.6% disapprove of Donald Trump on immigration, while 48.1% approve.

In each poll, the balance tilts to one side or the other: Big Data Poll found that 51% applaud the immigration policy, while for Economist/YouGov, the figure drops to 47%. Morning Consult recorded 51% support, while just 43% of Reuters/Ipsos respondents said the same.

The most recent poll, published in recent hours by J.L. Partners, places support at 50%, in line with the polls included by RealClear Polling. Outright disapproval, however, is well below that of other polls: 27%.

That poll includes the question on immigration that most unites Americans on the side of the government: 69% of respondents favored deporting all illegal immigrants who have committed crimes on U.S. soil. Only 13% were opposed.

In fact, 58% of Democratic voters surveyed agreed with this view.

"This poll definitively shows that the American public are on the side of President Trump on migration policy and deportations," J.L. Partners co-founder James Johnson told The New York Post.

"Quite apart from having gone ‘too far,’ a majority of the public think the administration’s policy is about right or even hasn’t gone far enough," he added.

How do Hispanics feel about the administration's immigration policy?

Hispanics are the group most concerned about immigration. A recent AP NORC survey reveals that it is the race or ethnicity that most "care[s] about immigration," with 66% saying it is somewhat important and 22% saying it is extremely important.

While a priority issue for Hispanics compared to other groups, it is far from being the one they "care" about the most, according to the same poll. The economy ranked first, with 84% of respondents saying it was "extremely/very important" and 12% "somewhat important," and health coverage second with 81% and 13%, respectively.

The same emerges from polls by The Economist/YouGov and Harvard Harris: issues such as inflation, the economy and the cost of living are what Hispanics are most concerned about, with a nearly 30-point gap with immigration.

Asked specifically about the administration's immigration policies, Hispanics show more dissatisfaction than the general population:

Few polls delve into the reasons for Hispanic satisfaction or dissatisfaction. (The Harvard Harris Poll does note low support for deploying the military to prevent illegal immigration flows, compared to all other ethnic groups or races.)

The border crisis was one of the reasons Hispanic voters turned to the Trump-Vance ticket in 2024. The GOP candidates garnered 46% of the Latino vote, the highest support for a Republican on record.

The performance of immigration policy in the polls may be a wake-up call to the Republican Party, which is confident it will retain Hispanic support heading into the midterms. "Hispanic voters are the most important voting bloc," NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson told VOZ: