How US views of immigration have changed since Trump took office, according to Gallup polling

By LINLEY SANDERS Associated Press WASHINGTON AP Just months after President Donald Trump returned to office amid a wave of anti-immigration sentiment the share of U S adults saying immigration is a good thing for the country has jumped substantially including among Republicans according to new Gallup polling About in Americans say immigration is a good thing for the country currently an increase from a year ago and a high point in the nearly -year trend Only about in U S adults say immigration is a bad thing right now down from last year Related Articles Wall Street poised to open lower Friday as Trump s tariff letters spark investor anxiety Nowadays in History July the fall of Srebrenica AI device startup that sued OpenAI and Jony Ive is now suing its own ex-employee over deal secrets A small Texas society where everyone survived flooding has sirens that warned them Latest down the force of water in the Texas floods During Democratic President Joe Biden s term in office negative views of immigration had increased markedly reaching a high point in the months before Trump a Republican took office The new Gallup evidence suggests U S adults are returning to more pro-immigrant views that could complicate Trump s push for sweeping deportations and other anti-immigration policies The poll shows decreasing aid for the type of mass deportations Trump has championed since before he was elected Since taking office Trump has called on U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do all in its power to deliver the single largest Mass Deportation Project in History His administration has also pushed to limit access to federal benefits for immigrants who lack legal status sought to revoke the citizenship of immigrants who commit crimes and is working to end birthright citizenship for children born to those without legal status or who are in the country temporarily In general Americans views of immigration policies have shifted dramatically in the last year the Gallup polling shows including among Republicans who have become much more content with immigration levels since Trump took office but who have also grown more supportive of pathways to citizenship for people in the country illegally The broader trend also shows that masses opinion is generally much more favorable to immigrants than it was decades ago The vast majority of U S adults say immigration is good Americans more positive view on immigration is driven primarily by a shift among Republicans and independents About two-thirds of Republicans now say immigrants are a good thing for the country up from last year And independents moved from about two-thirds last year to this year Democrats have maintained their overwhelmingly positive view of immigration in the last limited years The share of Americans who want immigration decreased has dropped significantly In the time since Trump took office Republicans have become more satisfied with the level of immigration in the country The share of Americans who want immigration decreased in the United States dropped from to While fewer Americans now want to decrease the number of people who come to the U S from other countries more want immigration levels kept the same than want higher immigration levels About in say immigration should be kept at its current level and only say immigration should be increased The poll suggests Republicans sharp anti-immigrant views highlighted before November s balloting which helped return Trump to the White House have largely faded The share of Republicans saying immigration should be decreased dropped from a high of to in the last year Close to in Republicans now say immigration levels should remain the same and only about in would like an increase Much of that Republican movement likely comes from assistance for the Trump administration s stringent immigration enforcement but there are also signs in the Gallup polling that Republicans have become more supportive of pathways to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally and more likely to see benefits from immigration that could be at odds with the Trump administration s priorities More Americans back a pathway to citizenship Greater part Americans favor allowing immigrants living in the U S illegally the chance to become U S citizens if they meet certain requirements over a period of time the poll shows Almost in U S adults favor a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who were brought to the U S illegally as children and nearly as a multitude of say they favor a path to citizenship for all immigrants in the country illegally as long as they meet certain requirements That increased assistance for pathways to citizenship largely comes from Republicans about in of whom now help that up from last year Sponsorship was already very high among independents and Democrats Sponsorship for deporting immigrants in the country illegally has also decreased across the board but less significantly About in U S adults now favor deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally down from about half a year ago