Trump's immigration agenda remains his biggest political strength: What the latest poll shows
US President Donald Trump's immigration continues to be his strongest political issue compared with the economy, healthcare and Iran, according to a new AP-NORC poll
US President Donald Trump's immigration continues to be his strongest political issue compared with the economy, healthcare and Iran, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The survey found that while Americans have grown more critical of Trump's immigration policies since the start of his second term, Republican support has remained overwhelmingly strong, helping immigration remain one of his biggest political assets heading into the November midterm elections. Here's what the latest polling shows. Immigration remains Trump's strongest issue According to the AP-NORC poll, 39% of US adults approve of Trump's handling of immigration, down from 49% at the beginning of his second term. Despite the decline, immigration still performs better for Trump than other major issues Immigration: 39% approval Economy: 32% approval Healthcare: About 30% approval Within the Republican Party, support remains much stronger. About 8 in 10 Republicans approve of Trump's immigration policies, only slightly lower than the roughly 9 in 10 who approved at the beginning of his second term.
The poll also found Republican voters rate Trump's handling of immigration more favorably than his management of the economy or the conflict involving Iran. Many Americans believe Trump has gone too far Although immigration remains Trump's strongest issue, many Americans believe his enforcement measures have become excessive. The survey found About half of Americans say Trump has gone too far in deporting immigrants living in the US illegally. Around 47% believe he has exceeded his authority on deportations. Roughly half also say he has gone too far in restricting legal immigration. Public concern is even stronger over certain enforcement tactics. Most Americans oppose Using traffic stops to identify and arrest undocumented immigrants. Sending large numbers of federal immigration agents into US cities. Republicans, however, are far less likely to view these actions as excessive. ICE remains deeply divisive The poll also examined public attitudes toward US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). About half of Americans said they disapprove of how ICE is enforcing immigration laws, while only about three in 10 approve.
The partisan divide is stark About 60% of Republicans approve of ICE's enforcement. Around 20% of independents approve. Only 4% of Democrats express approval. The findings come after several high-profile encounters involving ICE officers in July, including incidents in which three people were killed during encounters with immigration authorities. The poll suggests concerns over border security and illegal immigration continue to outweigh controversy surrounding enforcement methods among Republican voters. Also Read | What did MBS tell Trump that prompted a pause in US strikes on Iran? Economy remains a weak spot While immigration remains relatively resilient, Trump's economic ratings have deteriorated significantly. Only 32% of Americans approve of his handling of the economy, compared with 40% at the beginning of his second term. Among Republicans 69% approve of Trump's economic performance. That is down from 78% earlier in his presidency. About seven in 10 Americans also describe the US economy as either "somewhat poor" or "very poor." Even supporters acknowledge persistent inflation and rising living costs.
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