A new national survey suggests President Trump’s hardline immigration enforcement strategy may create challenges for Republican candidates in the upcoming midterm congressional elections.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted over six days and concluded Monday, revealed that 52% of American voters would be less inclined to back candidates supporting Trump’s deportation policies. In contrast, only 42% indicated they would be more likely to vote for such candidates.
Independent voters showed even stronger resistance to Trump’s immigration approach, with 57% saying they would favor candidates opposing the president’s deportation strategy, while just 32% preferred supporters of his policies.
The GOP faces potential difficulties maintaining control of both House and Senate chambers this November, already dealing with public frustration over rising fuel costs linked to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Nearly all Republican legislators have endorsed Trump’s strict immigration stance, demonstrating the president’s increased influence within the party following his 2024 victory on promises to target undocumented immigrants.
Public opinion on Trump’s immigration policies has shifted significantly since he took office. Initial support stood at 50% in polling conducted shortly after his January 2025 swearing-in ceremony. However, following more than twelve months of intensive enforcement actions — including nationwide deployment of masked federal officers and two civilian deaths during operations — approval has dropped to 40% in the most recent survey.
The online poll captured responses from 4,557 adults across the United States, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points.
Sarah Pierce, who serves as director of social policy at the center-left Third Way organization, believes Trump’s enforcement campaign has left a significant mark on public consciousness.
“People were being pulled out of cars, a priest shot with pepper balls, and Americans killed before our eyes,” Pierce stated, referencing incidents from streets in Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis during Trump’s initial year. “I don’t think those images are going to go away anytime soon.”
Recent weeks have seen the Trump administration apparently reduce its domestic immigration arrests. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained slightly more than 1,000 individuals daily in early March, down from approximately 1,300 per day in December, though still more than twice the January 2025 daily arrest figures, based on ICE data obtained by the Deportation Data Project and reviewed by Reuters.
While only 25% of survey participants described current immigration detention efforts as less intensive than the previous month, 70% indicated that reducing enforcement aggression would represent a positive development.
Americans continue to support border security measures broadly, with 84% stating that maintaining secure borders holds at least some importance and 87% emphasizing the significance of immigration law enforcement.
However, the public also backs providing pathways to legal status for many undocumented residents. Approximately 76% of poll respondents believe unauthorized immigrants with employment and clean criminal records should have opportunities to obtain legal standing.
Several Congressional Republicans have advocated for more moderate deportation policies.
Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican from a South Florida district with substantial Hispanic populations including recent immigrant families, has recently promoted legislation offering legal status to certain undocumented immigrants. Despite criticism from Republican hardliners, Salazar maintains her bill “respects Trump’s agenda” through border security provisions.
“I’m very concerned about what’s happening within the party with immigration,” Salazar commented earlier this month during an appearance on Fox News’ “Brian Kilmeade Show,” addressing divisions among party hardliners.
