- A new Washington Post/CNN poll shows 56% of Americans now support deporting all 11 million undocumented immigrants — a significant increase from 38% in 2016. The shift reflects growing alignment with former President Trump’s hardline immigration stance, emphasizing national security and economic concerns.
- Support crosses party lines: 86% of Republicans, 58% of independents and even 25% of Democrats favor mass deportation. Polling expert Harry Enten links the trend to Trump’s policies, noting 49% of voters now view his immigration efforts as successful.
- Forced-choice polls (e.g., deportation vs. legalization) show 44% support deportation, while standalone questions can push it to 57%. Experts caution that single-issue questions may oversimplify nuanced public opinions, but Republican backing for deportation has surged from 50% in 2016 to 70% today.
- Trump’s policies (workplace raids, asylum restrictions, «zero tolerance») reframed illegal immigration as a security/economic threat. 62% of voters now call it a «major problem,» fueled by record border apprehensions in 2022–2023 and economic anxieties.
- Polls suggest Trump has mobilized durable public support for strict enforcement, complicating Democratic efforts to balance deportation with legal pathways. The 2024 election may cement this stance, signaling a potential decades-long redefinition of U.S. immigration policy.
A new poll reveals a growing majority of Americans now support mass deportations of illegal immigrants, signaling a significant shift in public opinion since 2016. According to a Washington Post survey analyzed by CNN, 56% of voters back government efforts to deport all 11 million undocumented residents, compared to just 38% in 2016. The findings underscore a public embrace of stricter immigration policies championed by President Donald Trump, who has framed enforcement as critical to national security and economic integrity. The poll’s results highlight a historic swing in voter sentiment, coinciding with the Trump administration’s hardline stance on illegal immigration.
Poll shows bipartisan support for stronger enforcement
The Washington Post/CNN analysis, interpreted by polling expert Harry Enten, reveals a stark shift over the past decade in how Americans view immigration enforcement. Enten noted that the 18-percentage-point jump in support for deportation reflects bipartisan agreement on the issue. Notably, 86% of Republicans and 58% of political independents now back mass deportations, with even 25% of Democrats acknowledging concerns about illegal immigration’s societal impact.
Enten attributed this change directly to Trump’s policies, emphasizing: “The American people have come a long way on this issue, much closer to Donald Trump, and I think that’s a big part of why Americans are increasingly saying the country is on the right track when comes to immigration policy.”
The poll further indicates that 49% of voters now view Trump’s immigration efforts as successful, reinforcing his administration’s focus on border security and workplace enforcement since his initial 2016 presidential campaign.
Partisan divide and polling methodology debates
While the Washington Post poll reflects broadening consensus, surveys analyzing similar questions yield conflicting results, prompting debates about polling methods. Leo Gugerty, a Clemson University social psychologist, argues that forced-choice questions—where respondents must choose between deportation and legalization — paint a different picture.
Gugerty’s review of 12 polls since 2017 found that support for legalization has dipped to 55%, while support for mass deportation rose to 44% — still below the Washington Post’s findings. However, he emphasized that when questions are framed separately (asking respondents to rate both policy preferences), support for deportation can skew higher. For example, a 2024 Gallup poll showed 57% favoring deportation and 57% backing legalization, suggesting some respondents supported both.
“The key issue is how options are presented,” Gugerty said, noting that single-issue polling risks oversimplifying nuanced public views. Despite this, Republican voters have solidified their support for deportation, shifting from 50% in 2016 to 70% today, while Democratic views have remained steadfastly in favor of legalization.
Historical context: The evolution of enforcement policy
President Trump’s immigration agenda has reshaped the national debate on enforcement since his first term. His administration’s policies, including expanded workplace raids, stricter asylum rules and the “zero tolerance” border policy, have framed illegal immigration as both a security threat and an economic burden on American workers.
Historically, immigration enforcement under George W. Bush and Barack Obama focused on criminal deportations and a limited scale system overhaul. Trump’s rhetoric and actions, however, broadened the scope to target all undocumented residents, aligning enforcement with his “America First” platform.
The poll’s results validate Trump’s approach, as 62% of voters now describe illegal immigration as a “major problem.” This follows record border apprehensions in 2022 and 2023, exacerbating fears about job competition and public safety, particularly in rural and border communities.
A mandate for action
The polling suggests the Trump administration has successfully mobilized public opinion behind its immigration agenda amid a contentious political climate. While Democrats argue for balancing enforcement with paths to legal residency, the sum majority of voters increasingly side with through deportation.
As debates over methodology persist, the 2025 election cycle will test the durability of this sentiment. For now, the data serves as a rallying point for conservatives advocating strict enforcement and underscores the challenges for lawmakers seeking to address a politically polarized issue.
President Trump’s campaign promises and policies, consolidated over two terms, appear to have created a durable coalition pushing for border security over amnesty — a shift that could redefine the immigration debate for decades.
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