This chapter explores Americans’ views on which groups of immigrants who are in the country illegally should be deported, where arrests should be allowed, and whether police should be able to check a person’s immigration status.
Views on whether immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported
About half of U.S. adults (51%) say some immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported, compared with 32% who say all should be deported. Some 16% say none should be deported.
By political party
- Nearly all Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (96%) say at least some immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported, compared with 71% of Democrats and Democratic leaners.
- A far larger share of Republicans (54%) than Democrats (10%) say all immigrants in the country illegally should be deported.
By race and ethnicity
- Similar shares of White (87%) and Asian (86%) adults say at least some immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported. Lower shares of Black (75%) and Hispanic (72%) adults say so.
- However, White adults (39%) are more likely than Asian (22%), Black (19%) or Hispanic (16%) adults to say all immigrants in the country illegally should be deported.
Views on which groups of immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported
Among U.S. adults who say some immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported, nearly everyone supports deporting those who have committed violent crimes.
However, views vary among these Americans on whether immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported if they have committed nonviolent crimes or if they have arrived in the U.S. during the last four years.
Here are views by different demographic groups among U.S. adults who say some immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported:
By political party
- A greater share of Republicans than Democrats who favor some deportations say immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported if they have committed nonviolent crimes (67% vs. 42%) or have arrived in the last four years (63% vs. 32%). When it comes to those who have committed violent crimes, nearly all Republicans and Democrats (97% each) say this group should be deported.
By race and ethnicity
- Most White (59%) and Asian (60%) adults who support some deportations say immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported if they have committed nonviolent crimes. By contrast, lower shares of Hispanic (43%) and Black (34%) adults say this.
- Roughly half or fewer of White (48%), Asian (43%), Hispanic (41%) and Black (34%) adults say immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported if they have arrived in the U.S. during the last four years.
The survey also asked about whether other groups of immigrants in the country illegally should be deported. Relatively few Americans support deporting these immigrants if they have a job (15%), are parents of children born in the U.S. (14%), came to the U.S. as children (9%) or are married to a U.S. citizen (5%).
Views on where arrests of immigrants living in the country illegally should be allowed
A majority of U.S. adults say law enforcement should be allowed to arrest immigrants living in the country illegally at protests or rallies, in their homes or in their workplaces.
By political party
- 89% of Republicans say arrests of immigrants living in the country illegally should be allowed at protests or rallies, compared with 44% of Democrats.
- Republicans and Democrats hold starkly different views on whether arrests of these immigrants should be allowed in their homes (84% vs. 44%).
By race and ethnicity
- Hispanics are the only racial or ethnic group where fewer than half say arrests of immigrants in the country illegally should be allowed in their homes (38%).
- Roughly a third of Black (35%) and Hispanic (32%) adults say arrests at workplaces should be allowed, a lower share than for White and Asian adults.
- About half or more of all racial or ethnic groups say law enforcement should be allowed to make arrests at protests or rallies.
By nativity
- A majority of U.S.-born and immigrant adults (69% vs. 55%) say arrests of immigrants living in the country illegally should be allowed at protests or rallies.
- U.S.-born adults are more likely than immigrants to say arrests should be allowed in homes (67% vs. 46%) and in workplaces (57% vs. 36%).
Views on whether police should be able to check for immigration status
A slim majority of U.S. adults say law enforcement should be able to check a person’s immigration status during daily activities like traffic stops. Overall, 56% say this should be allowed while 43% say it should not.
By political party
- Republicans (81%) are far more likely than Democrats (33%) to say law enforcement should be allowed to check for a person’s immigration status during daily activities like traffic stops.
By nativity
- Those born in the U.S. are more likely than immigrants (60% vs. 36%) to say law enforcement should be allowed to check for immigration status.
By race and ethnicity
- 66% of White adults say police should be allowed to check for immigration status.
- By contrast, roughly half or fewer of Asian (45%), Black (42%) and Hispanic (35%) adults say so.
By age
U.S. adults under age 50 are less likely than those 50 and older to say law enforcement should be able to check a person’s immigration status during daily activities.
