American public support for immigration at all time high
A wave of positive sentiment has taken over the U.S. which is reported in a new Gallup poll that says 79% of Americans see immigration as a good thing for our country a record high which we haven’t seen in at least 25 years of polling. Americans support immigration 2025 is also very telling is how we’ve turned around from a year which was dominated by anxiety and negative thoughts. Only 17% at present think immigration is bad which is a drop from last year’s 32%. Also the want to see immigration reduced has dropped off a cliff, we are at 30% of the population which feels that way down dramatically from 55% in 2024.
This shift is taking place in a time of very passionate debate and high profile enforcement actions over immigration issues. But the present national sentiment is to not go as far in restrictions and instead to open arms to the new guys who we see as very much part of the American story. The upturn is seen in almost all demographic and political groups but also of note is the turn around we are seeing in the Republican and independent voters which was not present in past years.
Political Realignment and the Republican Shift
In the most dramatic of changes reported by the Gallup poll is that which which has occurred in the Republican base a group which till date has been very much against high scale immigration. In 2024 we saw almost 9 in 10 Republicans wanting to see immigration reduced. Today that number has dropped to 48% with many now report that immigration is in fact good for the country12357. This 37 point shift is also supported by the polls which report that more Republicans are happy with the current level of immigration and also very much in support of citizenship for the undocumented which for a large part of the past decade were very much out of question politically.
Independently support also has large growth, with 80% reporting that immigration is a benefit as of last year at which time it was between 2/3 3/4. As for the Democrats which are at the front of the line for expansive immigration reform we see a 91% positive response which is a continuing of a well established trend although at the same time it is setting new parties’ records for what we see in terms of enthusiasm for immigration.
Public Opinion on Policy: Reduced support for deportations and border wall
These attitudinal changes are seen in the support for which practical policies have also changed. We have seen a decline in support for mass deportations and for the growth of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Only 38% of Americans now support the removal of all undocumented immigrants that is down from 47% last year. Support for adding to the border wall is at 45% which is eight percentage points lower than 2024374.
In fact what we see is that Americans are less into other such control measures. What we have is support for greatly increasing border patrol agent numbers which is down, also support for expanding detention center capacity or getting rid of birthright citizenship which is a narrow majority for. Also it is very much the case that almost 60% of Americans now are against actions which would take away citizenship from children born in the U.S. to the undocumented, which in turn is a mark of the country’s greater acceptance of long standing immigrant families.
Americans support citizenship for immigrants
A key feature of present public opinion is broad cross party support for citizenship issues. In which large majorities of American people 78% report to support a plan which sees in country illegal residents become citizens if they meet specific criteria we report. Also we see that for those immigrants which came to the U.S. as children public support is very high at 85%23. On the issue of citizenship Republicans in particular are becoming a part of this cross political support — which has seen the number of supportive Republicans grow to 60% from just 46% a year ago.
Hispanic Americans which is a very important group in the immigration debate see even greater support [for] this issue. They are 13 percentage points beyond the general public in support of a path to citizenship for the undocumented and also they support and are less supportive of tough enforcement or deportation measures. 1234
Disapproval Grows for Strict Immigration Enforcement
The new poll reports that which is to which President Trump has applied his immigration policies we see a great deal of growth in criticism or rejection. 62% of the respondents report they disapprove 45% very so of what the president is doing on immigration. Also we see that which is which he has been very hard line on deportation of large numbers and in building up detention centers and going after birthright citizenship — the public is less responsive to that than before. Also from Gallup, CNN and Pew Research we see that by large American majorities now say enforcement actions have gone “too far” or have crossed the line” with about 55% reporting this in multiple surveys.
Even in communities which have for long supported strict border measures they are seeing that which may not.
Factors Driving the Shift
This large scale change in what the public is thinking cannot be seen as separate from how the world is presenting itself. Unauthorized border crossings have dropped to record low levels which in turn has reduced immediate concern over border pressure, that also perhaps has had a role in changing the national tone. Also there were large scale protests, media’s in depth reporting of detention facilities issues, and the very visible struggles of immigrant families that may have played into it, which in that time also saw a rise in empathy and a re evaluation of issues for many American people.
There we see a shift away from what some may term as extreme rhetoric. During the time of President Biden we have seen a rise in negative immigration views which in turn is a result of increasing anxieties. But as the Trump administration pressed on with it’s enforcement and no large new crisis events transpired the public has in fact returned to a more moderate, more positive view.
Conclusion: A Country that Open to Immigrants again
In a 5 year stretch Americans’ positive view of immigration has seen great change in public opinion. While we still see very intense political debate on this issue, what is large in present day is the majority which reports that immigration is a net benefit for the country we are in; also we see a trend of thinking of new members as integral to the national identity, to economic health, and to the world stage.
In the present which is dominated by practical and human centered policy solutions and also we see wide spread rejection of mass deportations, wall building, and citizenship rollbacks immigration is again a issue which puts American values of openness and opportunity in the foreground. In July 2025 Gallup issued a report which shows that despite political chaos and policy hard lines the base American position on immigration is that of resilience and hope.
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