Gallup poll reveals major shift in GOP immigration attitudes: Newsweek
4 Min Read
New Gallup data shows rising public support for legal immigration and growing discomfort with aggressive enforcement tactics, even as Trump’s base holds firm.
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Demonstrators march during a protest in reaction to recent immigration raids on July 11, 2025, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP)
A recent Gallup poll shows a sharp decline in the number of Republicans calling for reduced immigration to the United States, marking a notable shift in sentiment, even as core support for US President Donald Trump's policies remains strong, Newsweek reported.
According to Gallup, the percentage of Republicans favoring a decrease in immigration fell from 88% in 2024 to just 48% by June 2025. Simultaneously, Republican views of immigration as a national benefit rose from 39% to 64%.
"These shifts reverse a four-year trend of rising concern about immigration that began in 2021," said Gallup’s Lydia Saad, "and reflect changes among all major party groups."
Overall, the proportion of Americans who believe immigration should be reduced dropped from 55% at its 2024 peak to 30% in June. Public perception of immigration has grown increasingly positive, with 79% of Americans now viewing it as beneficial. Among Democrats, that figure reached 91%.
Trump maintains core support despite policy criticism
The White House dismissed any suggestion of eroding support for Trump’s approach.
Spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek, "Now that President Trump has reversed Biden's disastrous immigration policies and stopped the flood of criminal illegal aliens pouring into the country, Americans have a lot less to be worried about."
She emphasized that "for the last two months, ZERO illegal aliens were released into the country, in 2024, under Joe Biden, 62,000 illegals were released during one month."
Trump’s base remains loyal, with many Republicans crediting his administration for restoring border control. Yet Gallup's findings indicate some discomfort with the intensity of enforcement efforts. Support for hiring more Border Patrol agents dropped by 17% in the past year, while enthusiasm for mass deportations and new border wall construction has also waned.
Growing bipartisan support for the legal immigration pathway
Despite persistent hardline policies, public support for measures that allow undocumented immigrants, especially children, to remain in the US legally has grown. Republicans have shown increased openness to legal pathways for undocumented residents, a trend noted in polling conducted around the 2024 election.
While the Trump administration continues aggressive enforcement tactics, it has yet to act on longstanding promises related to Dreamers. Instead, it has escalated efforts like high-profile ICE raids and an expansion in immigration detention.
Moreover, experts argue that the administration’s strategy may be alienating voters. "The Gallup poll results show that President Trump's mass deportation efforts are backfiring," said Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration law expert at Cornell University. "Americans realize that immigration is good for the country and that we need immigrants to grow our economy."
David Bier of the Cato Institute added, "The poll shows clearly that the public is reacting negatively to President Trump's immigration agenda. People wanted chaos at the border ended. They didn't want the chaos shifted into the interior, into their streets and communities."
Immigration likely to remain key 2025 political issue
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to debate how to move forward. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) emphasized immigrants’ role in the economy, noting, "California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not in spite of immigrants, but because of their contributions not only as a workforce, but as consumers and as entrepreneurs."
He called for immediate legislative action: "Now is the time to finally deliver a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, farm workers, and other long-term residents of our nation who have been living and working in the shadows for far too long."
Looking ahead, Trump’s recently signed "One Big Beautiful Bill" allocates significant new funding for immigration enforcement. With more detentions and deportations expected, public opinion will likely continue evolving, as the nation confronts the social and political consequences of immigration policy in 2025.
