What do Americans really want on immigration?

President Trump made cracking down on immigration a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, promising the largest mass deportation in American history. It helped him win the White House and his approval rating on the issue has also ranked among his highest. 

But public opinion appears to be shifting. 

According to a new Gallup poll, a record number of Americans say immigration is “a good thing.” The year-over-year difference among Republicans was striking — jumping from 39% to two-thirds in the June survey. More Republicans and Independents also back a pathway to citizenship than did last year.

While the Trump administration says they’re focused on removing “the worst of the worst,” 70% of the 57,860 people who have been detained have no criminal convictions. Public sentiment could also be affected by viral social media videos depicting masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents carrying out sometimes violent arrests, as well as news reports documenting several wrongful deportations. There have also been Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship, plans to deport people to foreign countries, and the usage of a detention center in the Florida Everglades that Democrats say is “disturbing and vile.”

On this episode of Studio 2, are Trump’s hardline policies backfiring? What does this shift in public sentiment mean for his administration’s deportation plans, just as ICE is set to get billions more in funding? And given former President Biden’s unpopular immigration policies, what do you think Americans really want on the issue?

Guests:

Zeke Hernandez  –  Professor at The Wharton School and author of The Truth about Immigration

Terry Tracy – Republican commentator and CEO of Broad + Liberty