Public approval of President Donald Trump’s approach to immigration has dropped to its lowest level since his return to the White House, as Americans express a growing unease with his aggressive enforcement tactics.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on Wednesday shows an outright majority of Americans—51 percent—now openly disapprove of the president’s hardline approach to immigration enforcement, marking a dramatic shift from earlier this year when it was seen as his strongest issue.
Just months ago Trump’s immigration crackdown seemed untouchable, with 50 percent of U.S. adults in favor of his approach. But that figure has now dropped to just 41 percent, with the military-style masked raids at sites such as farms which were largely exempt from enforcement during his first term leaving many feeling uncomfortable.
Only 28 percent of respondents said they agreed that arresting immigrants at their places of work was “good for the country,” while 54 percent strongly opposed it. And while Democrats are united in their rejection of Trump’s immigration approach, Republicans are much more fractured—just 56 percent of Trump voters support ICE workplace raids, with 24 percent opposing them and an additional 20 percent not sure.
Partisan divides also emerged over the administration’s enforcement methods. While 70 percent of Republicans support officers wearing masks during raids, an equal share of Democrats oppose it. Similarly, 60 percent of Republicans approve of military-like operations for arrests, compared to just 10 percent of Democrats.
The poll follows a similar survey conducted by Gallup earlier this week which showed that a record 79 percent of Americans think immigration is a good thing for the country; the highest number ever recorded. The swing was sparked by an apparent change in Republicans views on the subject—64 percent of those surveyed said it was a good thing, compared to just 39 percent of those polled at the same time last year.
Meanwhile, support for increased paths towards citizenship has also skyrocketed, with 78 percent of Americans saying undocumented immigrants should be allowed to become full citizens, up from 70 percent last year. Republicans once again proved to be the driving factor behind the swing, with support amongst GOP voters jumping 1 percent from last year.
