From Dreamers to deportations, new polls reveal surprising consensus – and sharp divides – in the immigration debate. 

President Trump’s approval ratings sank even lower this week, with an AP poll finding just 39% of Americans approve of the job he’s doing.  

The President is underwater on nearly every issue AP asked about, from tariffs to healthcare to the economy. 

But one issue stood out as a bright spot: border security is President Trump’s strongest issue, with 55% approving the job he’s doing. It’s the only issue where he has support from a majority of the country.  

Immigration in general ranks as the President’s third-best issue, with 43% approval, just behind crime (46%). 

Immigration has long been one of the country’s most polarizing debates. But the polling shows a more complicated picture than the partisan talking points suggest. 

Americans Support Legal Immigration 

This year, Gallup found that 79% of Americans say legal immigration is good for the U.S. That’s the highest mark since Gallup first started asking in 2001.  

The AP poll found similar attitudes, with broad swaths of Americans appreciating the benefit of legal immigration on the economy: 

  • 85% said legal immigration is either a major (58%) or minor (25%) contributor to economic growth 
  • 84% said legal immigration helps American companies land expert workers in science and technology 
  • 79% said legal immigrants work jobs Americans don’t want to do 

Stand With Dreamers 

One of the most unifying aspects of immigration is support for Dreamers, people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children by their parents.  

The median Dreamer has been here since they were six years old, speaks English and only English, and graduated from an American high school. The only home they know is the U.S.  

Recent Gallup polling found that 85% of Americans support a path to citizenship for Dreamers, the highest level since Gallup started asking about it in 2018.  

Immigration Equilibrium? 

For all the debate over whether America should open the doors wider or tighten them shut, most people seem to think the country is already close to the right balance. 

AP’s polling found 46% of Americans think the number of legal immigrants should remain the same, as opposed to increased (29%) or reduced (23%). That “keep it the same” view is the top response across party lines: 

  • 49% of Republicans 
  • 46% of Democrats 
  • 43% of independents 

All agreed current immigration levels are about right.   

Secure the Border 

There is also considerable alignment on securing the borders and kicking out criminals. The August 2025 Harvard-Harris poll found that three-quarters of voters favored “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have committed crimes.” That included:  

  • 88% of Republicans 
  • About two-thirds of Democrats (63%) 
  • And nearly three-quarters of independents (72%) 

Two-thirds of respondents also told Harvard-Harris that they support “closing the border with added security and policies that discourage illegal crossings.” Nearly half of Democrats and broad majorities of Republicans (87%) and independents (65%) agreed.  

Split on Deportation 

Where Americans diverge is on how to handle the (non-criminal) unauthorized immigrants who are already here.  

AP asked people about President Trump’s deportation efforts, and the partisan divide was stark: 

  • 82% of Democrats said deportation has gone too far 
  • 54% of Republicans said deportation hasn’t gone far enough 
  • Independents are a little more split, with 49% saying too far and 37% not far enough 

A June 2025 poll from Quinnipiac found similar divides on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has been conducting raids in workplaces across the country.  

Over three-quarters of Republicans approved of the job ICE is doing, while 89% of Democrats were opposed. Two-thirds of independents disapproved of ICE while a third were in support.  

All told, the polls suggest most Americans want a balanced approach to immigration. They see legal immigration as good for the country, strongly support a path to citizenship for Dreamers, and agree on deporting those who commit crimes. But when it comes to broader deportation efforts and the role of ICE, the country remains sharply divided along partisan lines.