One in Three Americans Support Deporting All Undocumented Immigrants: Poll

Almost one in three U.S. adults (32%) support the deportation of all undocumented immigrants living in the United States regardless of criminal status, according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center. Moreover, 51% believe that at least some should be removed under certain conditions, and only 16% oppose any deportations.

Among those favoring some deportations, the vast majority (97%) support removing undocumented individuals who have committed violent crimes. A smaller majority (52%) endorse deporting those guilty of non-violent offenses, while 44% favor removing those who arrived in the U.S. within the past four years and have not been found guilty of crimes.

The survey, conducted between February 24 and March 2, showed a lower amount of support for deporting individuals with strong family ties in the country: 14% support deporting undocumented parents of U.S.-born children, 9% favor the removal of those who arrived as children, and 5% support deporting undocumented spouses of American citizens.

Elsewhere, the public remains divided on law enforcement's role in immigration arrests, with most Americans believing that arrests of undocumented immigrants should be allowed at protests (66%), homes (63%), and workplaces (54%), while a majority oppose such arrests at schools (63%), hospitals (61%), and places of worship (65%).

About one in five Americans (19%) worry that they or someone close to them could face deportation, with the concern rising to 42% among Hispanic adults. A small percentage of respondents (4%) reported carrying proof of their U.S. citizenship or immigration status in response to these concerns, while 2% altered their daily routines or avoided using public services such as healthcare or law enforcement.

Partisan differences on immigration enforcement remain stark. According to Pew, 54% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents support the deportation of all undocumented immigrants, compared to just 10% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning respondents.

Additionally, 81% of Republicans believe law enforcement should be allowed to check immigration status during routine interactions such as traffic stops, while only 33% of Democrats agree. Regarding the Trump administration's current deportation efforts, 75% of Democrats say the administration is going too far, while only 13% of Republicans hold that view.

The findings come as the Trump administration continues to ramp up it aggressive immigration enforcement policy. In March 2025, following the survey period, the administration used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport hundreds of individuals it identified as gang members. In another aggressive move, the administration moved to revoke deportation protections for approximately 532,000 individuals under parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.