Trump’s Immigration Poll Numbers Are Sinking Fast
Abrego Garcia case and ICE detentions of students draw ire from 50% of Americans, with key supporters breaking ranks.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s approval ratings on immigration have declined, driven by public unease over his administration’s handling of mass deportations, including from influential supporters.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published Wednesday showed 45% of Americans approve of Trump’s immigration actions, while 46% disapprove, a drop from previous surveys where he held stronger support. The poll also found nearly two-thirds of respondents consider uncontrolled migration a major concern.
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The slide in approval is tied to the administration’s defiance of a Supreme Court order in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man deported to El Salvador’s CECOT prison in March despite a 2019 court order barring his removal. The Supreme Court ruled on April 10 that the administration must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return, but the White House has resisted compliance, calling the deportation an “administrative error.”
A YouGov poll that was also released Wednesday found 50% of American adults support returning Abrego Garcia to the U.S., while only 28% back the administration’s position. The remaining 22% were undecided, signaling weak public support for the White House.
The administration has claimed without evidence that Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member has been contested by his lawyers and family, who note he has no criminal record. Federal judges, including U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, have criticized officials for “willful and intentional noncompliance” with court orders.
Influential conservative figures have also voiced concerns. Joe Rogan, who endorsed Trump in 2024, criticized the lack of due process in deportations:
“You got to get scared that people who are not criminals are getting, like, lassoed up and deported and sent to, like, El Salvador prisons. … That’s horrific. And that’s bad for the cause. The cause is, let’s get the gang members out. Everybody agrees. But let’s not get innocent gay hairdressers lumped up with the gangs,” said Rogan, referencing cases like that of Andry José Hernández Romero, a gay Venezuelan makeup artist deported without due process.
Similarly, conservative activist Charlie Kirk condemned the detention of students over political expression. “We run into a bit of a problem if the criteria for getting your visa revoked is writing an op-ed,” Kirk said.
Among independents, Trump’s support on immigration has fallen from 50% in March to 38% in April, according to YouGov. As the Abrego Garcia case continues, the administration’s defiance of judicial orders and its hardline approach risk further eroding Trump’s standing on immigration, once a cornerstone of his political appeal.
OUR TAKE: Don’t look now but Stephen Miller is starting to make his boss unpopular.