Shifts in Voter Sentiment on Immigration
On Wednesday, CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten noted that voters who support legal immigration increasingly align with President Donald Trump’s strong stance on immigration.
Enten shared that foreign-born voters are moving closer to Republican views on immigration, noting an eight-point advantage for Republicans in trust regarding immigration policy. This marks a significant change from 2020, when Democrats held a 32-point lead in this demographic.
“It’s pretty remarkable how immigrant citizens and voters are engaging on this issue in 2024 and 2025,” he remarked. “Back in 2020, Democrats had a significant edge, but there’s been a dramatic 40-point swing toward Republicans among immigrant voters since then. I, myself, am registered to vote here.”
According to Enten’s analysis, Trump’s support among immigrant citizens has surged from 36% in 2016 to 47% in 2024.
“While there are concerns about undocumented immigrants under Trump’s administration, immigrant voters seem to be trending rightward on immigration issues,” he added.
Moreover, immigrant voters have shifted their perspectives on illegal immigration, now viewing it negatively. In 2025, the net approval rating for illegal immigrants among legal immigrants sits at -6 points, a stark contrast to the 23-point approval in 2020.
The Trump administration has implemented stricter measures on illegal border crossings, leading to a rise in criminal deportations and arrests across the United States. On June 3, the number of arrests conducted by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) reached about 2,200 daily, totaling over 100,000 since Trump took office on January 20.
During Trump’s tenure, immigration encounters at the US-Mexico border reportedly plummeted, showing a 99.99% decrease, with daily encounters dropping by 93% based on data released shortly after he took office. In fact, the first month of Trump’s administration recorded the lowest border encounters since 1968.
In the 2024 election, immigration emerged as a key issue, with Trump being the first Republican to capture the vote from Hispanic men. Aside from that, he reportedly achieved a 54% to 44% victory against former Vice President Kamala Harris.
