Migrants Gripped by Fear in Trump’s Second Term
New KFF survey reveals 72% of immigrants expect harder lives under Trump’s early orders, with over half reporting discrimination tied to their status or ethnicity.
WASHINGTON — A new Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) survey released Thursday reveals that many immigrants in the U.S. are experiencing increased fear, discrimination, and uncertainty in the initial weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, which began Jan. 20. The nationally representative poll, conducted from Feb. 11 to March 11, highlights the impact of the administration’s early immigration policy actions and rhetoric on immigrant communities.
The survey, which interviewed 1,279 immigrant adults in six languages, found that 61% of respondents reported feeling anxious or afraid about their future in the U.S. due to the current political climate. This figure rises to 78% among likely undocumented immigrants, reflecting heightened concerns over Trump’s campaign promises to restrict legal immigration pathways and pursue mass deportations.
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More than half of respondents (54%) said they or a family member experienced unfair treatment or discrimination in the past year based on their immigration status, accent, or ethnicity. Hispanic immigrants reported the highest rates of discrimination at 62%, followed by Black immigrants at 58%. Among Asian immigrants, 47% noted similar experiences, often tied to language barriers or perceived foreignness.
The poll also underscores confusion and fear surrounding public assistance programs. About 1 in 5 immigrants (19%) said they avoided applying for food, housing, or health care assistance in the past year due to immigration-related concerns, with 34% of likely undocumented immigrants reporting such hesitancy. This stems in part from uncertainty over public charge rules, which were expanded under Trump’s first term to consider the use of noncash assistance like Medicaid in immigration decisions. Although rescinded by the Biden administration in 2021, 68% of immigrants surveyed said they were “not sure” about current rules.
Trump’s early executive actions, including a Jan. 20 order revoking Biden-era immigration policies and signaling stricter enforcement, appear to amplify these fears. The survey found that 72% of immigrants believe the administration’s policies will make it harder for them to stay in the U.S., with 81% of noncitizen immigrants expressing this view.
Despite these challenges, the poll reveals resilience among immigrants. A majority (67%) remain optimistic about their children’s future in the U.S., though this drops to 55% among likely undocumented immigrants. Additionally, 59% of immigrants support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, aligning with broader public sentiment.
The survey’s findings come as immigration remains a polarizing issue. During the 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to eliminate programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which protect over 1.4 million immigrants from deportation. KFF researchers note that such policy changes could lead to family separations and economic disruptions, given immigrants’ significant contributions to the workforce.
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