Record of Americans who want immigration levels to decrease reaches a two-decade high

Faced with a severe immigration crisis sweeping the country, more than half of Americans are calling for decreasing immigration levels. Specifically, 55% of Americans think immigration levels should decrease, the highest percentage in just over two decades.

According to a Gallup poll, in 2001, 58% said immigration rates needed to be lowered. Thereafter, the percentage gradually declined, with some slight increases in between, until 2020.

From that date, the trend underwent a considerable increase, until it reached a record practically identical to that of 23 years ago. The peak was recorded in 1993 and 1995 (65%).

The contrast is reflected by the 16% of Americans who say that immigration levels should increase. Twenty-five percent are happy with the current situation.

The number of Americans who want a decrease in all three policy positions soars

Ideologically, there is a considerable difference between one side and the other. Eighty-eight percent of those aligned with or affiliated with the Republican Party want to see lower immigration levels (5% say the opposite). Twenty-eight percent of Democrats want the levels reduced (28%) compared to 26% who think they should increase. Half of the independents (50%) call for a decrease compared to 17% who believe it should increase. 

It should be noted that, in all three policies, the number of Americans who want immigration levels to decrease has skyrocketed compared to the amount from 2023.

Americans have different views on different immigration policies

To counteract the negative consequences of the immigration crisis, Gallup proposed several policies.

The first of these is "allowing immigrants who entered the country illegally a chance to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements over a period of time." Eighty-one percent of Americans are in favor.

Following that measure, "hiring significantly more border patrol agents" is the initiative that received the second most support (76%). This was followed by "allowing immigrants living illegally in the U.S. the chance to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements over a period of time," with 70%. The next most supported policy is to "allow the president and the secretary of Homeland Security to temporarily prohibit individuals from seeking asylum when the U.S. Southwest border is overwhelmed," at 63% followed by "expanding the construction of walls along the U.S. border," at 53%.

The policy receiving the least support is "deport all immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to their home countries," with 47%.