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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump’s approval on immigration is slipping with political independents, undermining one of his strongest issues as concerns grow over aggressive enforcement tactics, according to national polling data.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement that the president has "already made historic progress, not only in America, but around the world. It is not surprising that President Trump remains the most dominant figure in American politics."
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Newsweek in an emailed statement that "the latest polls show that legacy media’s lies and leftist smears about the administration and the heroes of ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], CBP [Customs and Border Protection], and DHS are not working."
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Why It Matters
Immigration has long been a defining issue for Trump and a rare area where he typically outperforms Democrats in public opinion.
Erosion among swing voters could weaken a core pillar of his political appeal ahead of future elections.
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What To Know
A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows growing discomfort among independents with Trump’s approach to immigration enforcement, even as Republican support remains firm.
The AP-NORC poll of 1,156 adults was conducted February 5-8 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
Overall, about four in 10 U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, a figure that has held steady over the past month.
But views diverge sharply by party, with independents increasingly aligning with Democrats in saying the president has gone too far.
Trump’s approval on immigration among independents has fallen from 37 percent in March 2025 to 23 percent in the new survey.
About six in 10 independents now say he has gone “too far” in deporting immigrants living in the United States illegally, up from 46 percent in an AP-NORC poll conducted last April, per the AP.
Polling smaller groups such as independents carries greater variability, which adds uncertainty to the precise size of the shift.
About three in 10 U.S. adults say they trust Republicans to handle immigration better, roughly matching the share who say the same of Democrats.
Another three in 10 say neither party would do a better job, while about one in 10 believes both parties would handle the issue equally well.
The new poll also finds broad skepticism toward ICE.
Most U.S. adults, including independents, hold an unfavorable view of ICE.
Overall, only about three in 10 adults view the agency favorably, with independents far closer to Democrats than Republicans in their assessments.
DHS Response
A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek in a lengthy emailed statement: "The media has also tried to claim that most Americans disapprove of the Trump administration’s handling of immigration. But three national polls confirm that the American people overwhelmingly support President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem’s mass deportation of illegal aliens from the country.
"In recent weeks, the American people have witnessed an unprecedented spike in violence against law enforcement. ICE alone is facing a 1,300 percent increase in assaults against them, a 3,200 percent increase in vehicle attacks, and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats. Meanwhile, pro-criminal leftist politicians continue to demonize federal law enforcement and fan the flames of violence and disorder.
"Despite this, the latest polls show that legacy media’s lies and leftist smears about the administration and the heroes of ICE, CBP, and DHS are not working.
"A Cygnal poll shows that:
- 73 percent of Americans say coming here illegally is breaking the law.
- 61 percent support deporting illegal aliens.
- 58 percent oppose defunding ICE.
- And 54 percent support ICE enforcing our immigration laws.
"Meanwhile, a Harvard/Harris poll reveals that:
- 67 percent of Americans want state and local officials to cooperate with ICE on deporting criminal illegal aliens.
- And 67 percent say local jails should hand over criminal illegal aliens to ICE for deportation.
"Lastly, a new poll from Harper Polling shows that supporters of President Trump overwhelmingly back the president and Secretary Noem:
- 92 percent approve of President Trump’s job performance.
- 81 percent approve of Secretary Noem’s job performance.
- 93 percent approve of overall deportations.
- And 87 percent approve of Secretary Noem’s strategies and tactics.
"The good guys are winning. DHS will not be stopped or slowed down in its mission to make America safe again for every community."
What People Are Saying
Independent Rick Kinnett, a 60-year-old Navy veteran from Crawfordsville, Indiana, told the AP: “Having the border shut, that’s OK. But what Trump is doing with ICE and Homeland Security? You don’t go yanking people out of cars. You don’t go shooting people.
“I spent eight years in the military. This is not what I signed up for. This is not what we’re supposed to do. This is not constitutional.”
**Independent Brenda Shaw, a 65-year-old human resources manager from South Haven, Michigan, said: “**I am glad that immigrants aren’t just flooding across the border, but what he’s doing now in our cities, pitting the military against our people, these are Gestapo tactics. They’re shooting U.S. citizens in the face and in the back.”
White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement: “President Trump was overwhelmingly elected by nearly 80 million Americans to deliver on his popular and common-sense agenda. The president has already made historic progress not only in America, but around the world. It is not surprising that President Trump remains the most dominant figure in American politics.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social last week: “The highest Poll Numbers I have ever received. Obviously, people like a strong and powerful Country, with the best economy, EVER!”
What Happens Next
The growing unease among independents could place additional pressure on Republicans as immigration enforcement remains in the national spotlight.
If those voters continue to view Trump’s tactics as excessive, the party’s traditional advantage on immigration may face further erosion in future polling and elections.
Update, 02/12/26, 09.29 a.m. ET. This article has been updated with a DHS and White House response.
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