Adults questioned in new survey say Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducts arrests at schools and churches, even though half of respondents say tightening security at the southern border should be a top priority for the Trump administration Few people support (ICE) officers.
Associated Press (AP)-NORC Public Affairs Research Center public opinion poll It found that just 2 in 10 U.S. adults, 18%, said they “strongly or somewhat” support arresting children who are in the country illegally while they are attending school. A further 17% said they neither supported nor opposed it, while the majority of respondents, 64%, said they strongly or somewhat opposed the possibility of implementation.
Similarly, most Americans do not support arresting people who are in the country illegally while going to church. Nearly six in 10 people, 57%, said they were “strongly or somewhat” opposed. About 22% neither approve nor oppose, while 20% “strongly or somewhat” agree with the directive.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration formally authorized ICE agents to arrest immigrants at churches and schools, lifting guidelines that prevent detentions in “sensitive” areas.
A new poll finds that while most oppose arrests of migrants at churches and schools, half (50%) of respondents say increased security at the Mexican border should be a “top priority.” Nearly a third, or 32%, said it should be a “moderate” priority for the Trump administration, while only 17 said it should be a “low” priority, according to the survey. It was %.
Border security was one of Trump's key campaign issues in the 2024 presidential election.
According to the pollster, a majority of Americans (82%) support deporting illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes. According to the poll, only 6% said they were “somewhat or strongly” opposed.
Support for deporting legal immigrants convicted of violent crimes is low, at 68% support. About 15% neither supported nor opposed the measure, while 16% said they were “somewhat or strongly” opposed to the potential action.
Respondents are divided on whether to deport all illegal immigrants who have not been convicted of a crime. More than four in 10 people, 44%, said they were “somewhat or strongly” opposed. About 37% said they were “somewhat or strongly” in favor of mass deportations of innocent illegal immigrants. According to the survey, nearly two in 10 people, or 19%, neither agree nor disagree.
The poll was conducted from January 9th to 13th, 2025 among 1,147 adults. The margin of error was 3.9 percentage points.
