A new national survey conducted by Gallup has revealed a significant shift in American public opinion regarding immigration. Data collected in June 2025 indicates a marked decrease in concern about immigration levels and a substantial increase in the proportion of U.S. adults who view immigration positively, reaching a record high.
Shifting Sentiments on Immigration Levels
The poll, conducted from June 2 to 26, 2025, found that only 30% of U.S. adults believe that immigration into the country should be decreased. This represents a dramatic reduction from just a year prior, when 55% of Americans held that view. The findings suggest a considerable softening of public desire to see immigration levels reduced.
Complementing this decline in concern, the survey also recorded an unprecedented level of positive sentiment towards immigration’s impact on the nation. A record-high 79% of U.S. adults now believe that immigration is a good thing for the country. This figure underscores a prevailing perspective that newcomers contribute positively to American society.
Evolving Views on Enforcement Policies
The shift in overall attitudes is also reflected in public opinion regarding specific immigration enforcement policies. The Gallup poll indicated a decrease in public support for both constructing a border wall and implementing mass deportation policies. While the exact figures for the decrease in support for these measures were not detailed in the summary, the finding aligns with the broader trend of diminishing concern about immigration levels and increasing positive views.
Support for Pathways to Citizenship
The survey delved into public support for providing pathways to citizenship for immigrants currently living in the United States without legal status. The findings revealed substantial support across the political spectrum, though with notable differences depending on the immigrants’ circumstances and respondents’ party affiliation.
Regarding immigrants who were brought illegally into the U.S. as children, support for a path to citizenship is remarkably high:
* 96% of Democrats support a pathway to citizenship for this group.
* 85% of Independents support a pathway to citizenship for this group.
* 71% of Republicans support a pathway to citizenship for this group.
Even for immigrants living illegally in the U.S. who did not arrive as children, support for a pathway to citizenship remains strong among most groups:
* 93% of Democrats support a pathway to citizenship for this group.
* 79% of Independents support a pathway to citizenship for this group.
* 59% of Republicans support a pathway to citizenship for this group.
These figures highlight a clear majority consensus, even among Republicans, in favor of providing a legal status or citizenship pathway for immigrants living in the country without documentation, particularly those who arrived as children.
Public Assessment of Presidential Handling
The poll also gauged public approval of President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration nationally. The survey indicated that more Americans disapprove than approve of his approach.
Specifically, 59% of U.S. adults nationally disapprove of President Trump’s handling of immigration, while 35% approve. This indicates a net negative national assessment of the administration’s immigration policies.
Among Hispanic adults, a key demographic often directly impacted by immigration policies, President Trump’s approval rating for his handling of immigration stands significantly lower, at 21%. This finding underscores a particularly low level of approval within this specific community compared to the national average.
Methodology
The findings are based on telephone interviews conducted by Gallup with a random sample of 1,402 U.S. adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The sample included oversamples of Hispanic and Black Americans to ensure more robust representation of these populations. The polling took place between June 2 and June 26, 2025. As with all surveys, the results are subject to sampling error.
Conclusion
The latest Gallup poll reveals a notable evolution in American attitudes towards immigration, marked by decreased concern over immigration levels, record-high positive views of its impact, and majority support across party lines for pathways to citizenship for immigrants without legal status. These findings suggest a significant shift in the public discourse on immigration, contrasting with previous periods where concern about increasing immigration levels was more pronounced.
