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President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda continues to draw strong public support, according to a new Harvard-Harris Poll conducted July 6-8.
Sixty percent of registered voters said they support Trump’s actions to close the southern border, including 34 percent of Democrats and 89 percent of Republicans. The findings come as the administration highlights record-setting deportation numbers and increased enforcement efforts in its ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration.
“President Trump is keeping his promises to secure the border and deport criminal illegal aliens — and the American people are loving it,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.
Three out of four voters support the administration’s efforts to remove individuals in the country illegally who have committed crimes. That includes 59 percent of Democrats and 93 percent of Republicans.
Still, the poll shows voters remain divided over the overall enforcement approach. While 52 percent believe the Trump administration is handling immigration enforcement properly, 48 percent said it has gone too far.
Sixty percent of respondents said more due process should be provided to migrants to avoid wrongful deportations. And when asked whether Democrats who defend deportees are motivated by concern for human rights or political opposition, voters were nearly split: 52 percent said they were “fighting for human rights.” In comparison, 48 percent said they were “just trying to defeat the Trump administration.”
Deportation statistics released by the Department of Homeland Security show that more than 239,000 illegal aliens were removed between Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20 and June 30. That averages about 47,000 deportations per month, a figure that surpasses any monthly rate under previous administrations, according to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The poll also asked voters whether local authorities should cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Most respondents stated that local leaders should not obstruct deportation efforts and should instead assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The survey also pointed to dissatisfaction with former President Joe Biden’s border record. Sixty-seven percent of voters, including nearly half of Democrats, said the border was “open” during his administration.