Trump Promises Mass Deportation, Polls Indicate Rising Support

Trump Promises Mass Deportation; Polls Indicate Rising Support – But No Clear Mandate.

Support for deporting undocumented immigrants has grown since Donald Trump was last in office, with increased nativist sentiment across the U.S.

However, public support for mass deportation varies significantly based on how the question is framed, suggesting there are limits to how many Americans favor denying any pathway to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally.

Trump has made mass deportation a key promise in his 2024 campaign. His allies are already planning ways to make this a reality, while immigration advocates prepare for potential sweeping actions.

National exit polling this year shows that immigration is a strong issue for Trump, but it doesn't indicate overwhelming support for mass deportation. Trump holds about a 9-point advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris on handling immigration, according to the latest data.

However, voters also said, by about 56% to 40%, that most undocumented immigrants in the U.S. should be given a chance to apply for legal status rather than being deported. One-quarter of Trump voters supported a pathway to citizenship, while just about 9% of Harris supporters favored deportation. Nearly 4 in 10 Hispanic voters who backed Trump also favored a pathway to citizenship.

Polling this year has shown varying levels of support for deportation. Questions that simply ask about favoring or opposing mass deportations have found that around half or more of the population is in favor.

A June Gallup poll showed 47% of Americans supporting "deporting all immigrants who are living in the U.S. illegally back to their home country." An October poll from Marquette Law School found 58% of registered voters backing deportation for immigrants living illegally in the country.

However, when the question was phrased differently—asking whether people would support deporting immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years, have jobs, and no criminal record—support for deportation dropped significantly. In the Marquette poll, only 40% of voters favored deportation in that case, while 60% opposed it.

Further complicating the issue, other polls have found that large majorities favor offering undocumented immigrants the chance to apply for citizenship. In a Gallup poll, 70% of U.S. adults said they favored allowing immigrants living illegally in the U.S. to become citizens if they meet certain requirements over time. An even higher 81% supported a pathway to citizenship for those who came to the U.S. as children.

Similarly, a CBS News/YouGov poll in June found that 62% of registered voters supported starting a new national deportation program. However, a slim majority opposed holding immigrants in detention centers to carry out such a program.

Surveys that present deportation versus a pathway to citizenship often show stronger support for citizenship. In a pre-election survey this year, two-thirds of registered voters said the government's top priority should be creating a plan to allow some undocumented immigrants to become legal residents.

A Pew Research Center poll this summer found that 59% of registered voters believe there should be a way for undocumented immigrants who meet certain criteria to stay in the U.S., while 37% disagreed. Only about one-third supported a national law enforcement effort to deport all undocumented immigrants.

FAQs:

What percentage of Americans support mass deportation?

Polls show varying support for mass deportation. Some surveys report that about 47-58% of Americans support deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, but support drops when asked about deporting immigrants with no criminal record or those who have lived in the country for years.

Do most Americans support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?

Yes, many Americans support a pathway to citizenship. A Gallup poll found that 70% of U.S. adults support allowing undocumented immigrants to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements over time.

How do Hispanic voters feel about deportation?

Hispanic voters who supported Trump in the 2024 election had mixed views. Nearly 40% of them favored a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Is mass deportation a top priority for Trump’s supporters?

While Trump's supporters strongly back his immigration policies, they are not overwhelmingly in favor of mass deportation. Many still support some form of legal status or citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

How do polling questions affect support for deportation?

The way questions are phrased greatly influences support for deportation. When the question includes immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years, have jobs, and no criminal record, support for deportation drops significantly.