Most People Believe Those Who Are Undocumented and Have Committed Violent Crimes Should Be Deported

Survey Reveals American Attitudes Toward Deportation of Criminal Immigrants

A recent survey from Economist/YouGov shows that most Americans believe illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes should be deported. The study posed a straightforward question: should such individuals be sent back to their countries?

According to the findings, a striking 88% of respondents answered affirmatively, indicating support for the deportation of illegal immigrants involved in violent acts. In contrast, only 4% felt they should not be deported, while 8% were uncertain.

These views cross political lines. There’s a notable agreement among respondents: 94% of Republicans, 87% of Democrats, and 84% of independents support the deportation of violent offenders.

When it comes to non-violent crimes, opinions are more mixed. Around 45% believe these individuals should be deported, while 34% disagreed. The remaining 21% were unsure. Interestingly, among Republicans, three-quarters favor deportation in these cases; however, only 23% of Democrats and 38% of independents share that view. A majority of Democrats, around 56%, believe non-violent offenders should not be deported, a perspective also held by 35% of independents.

The survey was conducted from November 21 to November 24, 2025, involving 1,677 participants, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. This comes during a period when the Trump administration is actively focusing on deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records, a step that has sparked disappointment among some liberal commentators.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has addressed claims from some media suggesting that 70% of those deported do not include serious offenders. They emphasized that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) focuses on individuals charged or convicted of crimes, excluding fugitives, gang members, and other serious criminals.

For instance, ICE recently made several arrests, including that of Cesar Ramirez Ortiz, an illegal immigrant from Mexico found guilty of deadly sexual assault of a child in Chicago. Another individual, Ronald Alexander Bonilla Aguilar from Honduras, was arrested for lewd acts with a child in Santa Clarita, California. Furthermore, Javier Salvador Morfin, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, faced charges of assault and attempted rape in Los Angeles.

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, stated, “Thanks to the Biden administration’s open borders policy, many towns are now filled with dangerous criminal illegal immigrants.” She pointed out that while some media portray DHS as neglecting severe offenders, ICE continues to remove individuals involved in horrific crimes from communities. McLaughlin emphasized the importance of their actions, especially as Thanksgiving approaches.