Trump’s Immigration Approval Declines Despite Strong GOP Support
Recent polling indicates that President Trump may be losing ground on immigration, a key issue for him, even as his base remains firmly behind him.
A CBS News/YouGov survey shows that approval for Trump’s approach to immigration has dropped, with only 44% of respondents expressing support, while 56% disapproved.
This marks a notable decline from March when 54% backed him and 46% were opposed to his administration’s immigration policies. In June, the approval was more evenly split at 50%.
Immigration and border security, significant concerns during the 2024 campaign, saw Trump swiftly act to manage the border after his reelection.
Last month, federal agents recorded just 9,306 encounters with immigrants at the southwest land border, a stark drop from the 301,981 encounters reported in December 2023, during the Biden administration, according to US customs and border security.
While over 64% of those surveyed believe Trump’s policies have led to a decrease in illegal border crossings, concerns about his stringent deportation practices linger. A majority, 54%, feel his tactics are overly harsh.
Former President Joe Biden has historically faced disapproval from voters for being lenient on immigration issues.
Furthermore, it has come to light that the Trump administration tends to prioritize deportation of non-violent offenders (56%) over dangerous criminals (44%).
Polls consistently highlight immigration and border security as critical issues for Trump, and CBS News/YouGov is among several surveys illustrating a decline in his ratings related to immigration.
Nonetheless, many US adults see immigration as a significant factor in assessing his presidency.
Trump hinted at plans to modify his immigration strategy, aiming to lessen the impact of deportations on industries such as agriculture and services. This approach reportedly includes fast-tracking visas for foreign workers.
Despite the declining approval ratings on immigration, Trump’s support remains robust among Republicans, with 89% approving of his overall presidency.
According to the CBS News/YouGov survey, 2,343 US adults were sampled from July 16-18, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
