A new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, released Sunday, shows only 39% of U.S. adults approve of how President Donald Trump is handling immigration, down from 49% at the start of his second term.
Still, about 8 in 10 Republicans continue to approve of Trump's handling of immigration, a slight dip from the 9 in 10 at the start of his term, but support among his core voters remains nearly stable. Republicans also tend to rate Trump's handling of immigration more favorably than his handling of the economy or Iran.
The poll shows Americans remain divided over whether Trump has overstepped on immigration policy. About half of U.S. adults say he has "gone too far" in restricting legal immigration. Nearly half (47%) say he has exceeded his authority in deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. In each case, about 3 in 10 say his actions are "about right," and about 2 in 10 say he hasn't gone far enough.
A majority of Americans also say Trump has gone too far in using traffic stops to find and arrest undocumented immigrants — a practice tied to two recent shootings involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Maine — as well as in sending federal agents into cities. Republicans are less likely to view these as overreach.
However, the new findings underscore the relatively limited impact of a year of aggressive immigration enforcement on Trump's public standing. This contrasts with views on his handling of Iran, which shows signs of recent decline even among his supporters. A Politico poll found only a third of MAGA voters feel the economic cost of the war with Iran is worth it.
On the economy, Trump's approval remains low. Only 32% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the economy, down from 40% at the start of his term and marking a shift from his first term when the economy was his strength. About 7 in 10 Americans describe the national economy as "very" or "somewhat" bad. Republicans are more optimistic, with about 6 in 10 saying the U.S. economy is doing well.
On health care, the poll shows Republicans increasingly approve of Trump's handling of the issue, even though it was not previously a strength. About 71% of Republicans now approve, up from 59% last year. Meanwhile, only about 3 in 10 Americans overall approve of his handling of health care. This shift comes as Democrats begin their 100-day campaign ahead of the midterm elections, focusing on health care cuts, the cost of living, and the war in Iran.
