A new poll reveals that more than half of Americans, including a quarter of Democrats, support the large-scale deportation of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.
The Scripps News/Ipsos survey results come amid a 2024 election season where former President Trump and his allies are focusing heavily on immigration.
Around 54 percent of those surveyed—86 percent of Republicans, 58 percent of independents, and 25 percent of Democrats—said they "strongly" or "somewhat" support the mass deportation of millions of immigrants. Additionally, 59 percent of respondents said they are closely following the "immigration situation at the U.S.-Mexico border."
Immigration emerged as a key issue for 39 percent of respondents, ranking second only to inflation in importance this election year.
Although the poll showed Vice President Harris with a slightly higher favorability rating (45 percent) than Trump (38 percent), the numbers flipped when it came to who respondents believed would handle immigration better. About 44 percent thought Trump would do a better job, compared to 34 percent for Harris. Another 12 percent said neither candidate would be effective in managing immigration.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump's running mate, also criticized Harris during a rally in Wisconsin, focusing on immigration and public safety. He argued that illegal immigration has harmed communities nationwide, even those far from the southern border.
"Every community is a border community," Vance told the crowd in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which is nearly 1,500 miles from the Texas-Mexico border. He claimed that Harris, through her role in the Biden administration, has undermined Americans' "birthright" to public safety.
In response to these criticisms, Harris has been defending her record on immigration. Her campaign recently launched an ad highlighting her work as a prosecutor in California and her efforts on immigration issues. The ad also criticized Trump and House Republicans for blocking a bipartisan border bill supported by the Biden administration. It promises that Harris will push to hire "thousands" of additional Border Patrol agents to tackle illegal immigration.
The poll also found that one-third of respondents believe securing the U.S.-Mexico border should be the top priority in immigration, while 18 percent think mass deportation should come first.
