Americans Say They Want to See More Immigration, Not Less
Results of a recent Gallup poll show 34% of Americans believe that there should be more immigration, rather than less, the highest in the poll’s 55-year history.
Support for immigration is up from the 27% found in the same poll last year. As support favoring increased immigration has risen, support for decreased immigration has reached a new Gallup low of 28%.
Meanwhile, 36% of those surveyed believe immigration should stay at its present level.
According to Gallup, this poll “marks the first time in Gallup’s trend that the percentage wanting increased immigration has exceeded the percentage who want decreased immigration.”
Those surveyed in Gallup’s poll who favored increased immigration consisted of Democrats and independents. Their favorable view of increased immigration comes as a result of Republican immigration policy attempts to reduce immigration via physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, multiple travel bans and limitations on visa obtainment.
Republican views on immigration have remained consistent since 2010, with their favorability of increased immigration hovering on an average of 15%.
The Gallup poll was conducted between May 28-June 4, predating the Trump administration’s recent attempts to halt DACA and strip F-1 visas from international students who have online classes this upcoming school year.
In addition to an increased favorability for immigration, 77% of Americans surveyed believe that immigration is good for the country.
When looked at in a broader sense, Gallup’s research indicates that there is not much of a partisan divide on the issue of immigration being good or bad. Overall Americans have a generally positive view on immigration.
