Surge in U.S. Concern About Immigration Has Abated

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans have grown markedly more positive toward immigration over the past year, with the share wanting immigration reduced dropping from 55% in 2024 to 30% today. At the same time, a record-high 79% of U.S. adults say immigration is a good thing for the country.

These shifts reverse a four-year trend of rising concern about immigration that began in 2021 and reflect changes among all major party groups.

With illegal border crossings down sharply this year, fewer Americans than in June 2024 back hard-line border enforcement measures, while more favor offering pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.

These findings are based on a June 2-26 Gallup poll of 1,402 U.S. adults, including oversamples of Hispanic and Black Americans, weighted to match national demographics.

The same poll finds many more Americans disapproving than approving of President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration. Trump’s 21% approval rating on the issue among Hispanic adults is below his 35% rating nationally, with the deficit likely reflecting that group’s low support for some of the administration’s signature immigration policies.

Fewer Americans Want Immigration Decreased

After climbing to 55% in 2024, the percentage of Americans who say immigration should be reduced has dropped by nearly half to 30%. Sentiment is thus back to the level measured in 2021, before the desire for less immigration started to mount. Meanwhile, 38% now want immigration kept at its current level, and 26% say it should be increased.

With illegal immigration levels down dramatically and refugee programs suspended, the desire for less immigration has fallen among all party groups, but it is most pronounced among Republicans, down 40 percentage points over the past year to 48%. Among independents, this sentiment is down 21 points to 30%, and among Democrats, down 12 points to 16%.

Republicans are the only group still showing at least plurality support for reducing immigration. Independents are most likely to favor maintaining current levels, while a plurality of Democrats favor increasing it.

Record High Say Immigration Benefits Nation

When asked if immigration is generally a good thing or bad thing for the country, a record-high 79% of U.S. adults call it a good thing; a record-low 17% see it as a bad thing.

This is consistent with the long-term pattern of more Americans viewing immigration as helpful than harmful to the country. But today’s endorsement is up from 64% last year and represents a reversal of the downward trend seen in this view from 2021 to 2024.

The recent jump in perceptions of immigration being a good thing is largely owed to a sharp increase among Republicans and, to a lesser extent, independents. These groups’ views have essentially rebounded to 2020 levels after souring in the intervening years.

Democrats’ belief that immigration is beneficial to the country is also up slightly, to a record-high 91%. However, this is generally consistent with their highly positive perspective on immigration over the past decade, with at least 80% calling it a good thing each year since 2016.

More Citizenship, Less Enforcement

In addition to supporting increased or stable immigration levels, more Americans now favor offering undocumented immigrants pathways to citizenship, while fewer support stringent measures to deter or reverse illegal immigration.

In terms of impeding illegal immigration at the source, support for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents has declined 17 points to 59%, from 76% a year ago. And backing for expanding the U.S.-Mexico border wall has dropped eight points to 45%. This likely reflects people perceiving these measures as less necessary given the sharp drop in illegal border crossings.

Yet, support is also lower today for deporting all undocumented immigrants, with 38% now favoring this as the administration is attempting it, down from 47% last year when it was a Trump campaign promise. However, it should be noted that last year’s support for deportation was uniquely high. Today’s level matches where it stood in 2019 (at 37%) and is slightly higher than when first measured in 2016 (32%).

In terms of a new policy being debated this year, Americans give lukewarm support to denying alleged gang members the ability to challenge deportation in court — half favor this being done, while 45% oppose it.

Meanwhile, support for allowing undocumented immigrants to become U.S. citizens has risen to 78%, up from 70% last year. This is also back to the level of support seen in 2019 (81%) while slightly lower than in 2016 (84%). Approval is higher still, albeit statistically unchanged, for offering individuals brought to the U.S. illegally as children a pathway to citizenship, with support holding above 80%.

The declines in support for hiring more border agents and deporting all undocumented immigrants are mainly due to less support from independents and Democrats. Independents are also primarily responsible for the slip in support for expanding the construction of walls along the U.S.-Mexico border. Republicans’ support for each of these measures remains high.

Meanwhile, the eight-point increase in support for giving immigrants living in the U.S. illegally the chance to become U.S. citizens reflects increased support from all party groups, with the biggest gain among Republicans (up 13 points to 59%).

Majority Disapprove of Trump’s Handling of Immigration

Perhaps because of Americans’ opposition to immigration policies that Trump has enacted to remove undocumented immigrants from the U.S., their evaluation of his work on immigration is mostly negative. Thirty-five percent approve of his handling of the issue, including 21% strongly approving, while 62% disapprove, including 45% strongly.

These views are sharply partisan: 85% of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, compared with 28% of independents and just 2% of Democrats. Notably, 81% of Democrats strongly disapprove, while 59% of Republicans strongly approve. Independents are much more likely to strongly disapprove (45%) than to strongly approve (14%).

Hispanic Adults More Supportive of Citizenship, Less of Enforcement

Hispanic Americans’ views on immigration are particularly relevant to these measures, given the strong focus of current immigration policy on immigrants from parts of Latin America who have entered the U.S. illegally at the southern border.

In terms of policy views, the greatest divergence between Hispanic adults and U.S. adults overall is Hispanic adults’ 16-point lower support for hiring more border agents (43%). Hispanic adults also trail the general population in their support for deporting all immigrants living in the U.S. illegally (by 15 points, at 23%). They are 13 points more likely to support allowing immigrants living in the U.S. to become citizens — 91% favor this.

Additionally, at 21%, Hispanic Americans’ approval of Trump’s handling of immigration is 14 points below the national average. With respect to immigration levels, Hispanic adults are slightly more likely than U.S. adults overall to say immigration should be decreased (39% vs. 30%, respectively) as well as to consider immigration a bad thing (25% vs. 17%), but the majority in both cases still express pro-immigration views.

Bottom Line

The surge in illegal border crossings during the Biden administration triggered heightened public concern about immigration and increased demand for stricter enforcement. The Trump administration’s swift and visible response appears to have defused that concern, particularly among Republicans. As a result, Americans’ attitudes on immigration have largely returned to where they stood before the recent border surge, marked by broader appreciation for immigration, less desire to reduce it, and more support for pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. At the same time, support for tougher border control and aggressive deportation policies has eased since last year, with these measures mostly losing their appeal among Democrats and independents.

To stay up to date with the latest insights and updates, follow @Gallup on X and Instagram.

Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.