Most Americans’ views of immigration have shifted in tandem with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, according to an AP-NORC poll that found many people say they have adapted their daily lives in response. The survey of more than 2,500 U.S. adults, conducted April 16-20, found about 6 in 10 say the country used to be a great place for immigrants but is not anymore. The poll also found that about one-third of adults say they, or someone they know, have been affected in ways that include carrying proof of immigration status or citizenship, being detained or deported, changing travel plans, or significantly changing routines.
The answers reflect the personal reach of heightened enforcement, with Democrats more likely than independents or Republicans to know someone affected, the poll found. It also found the view that the U.S. is no longer a great place for immigrants is more common among Democrats and independents, as well as among people born outside the country. The findings come as the Supreme Court considers whether the Trump administration can restrict birthright citizenship.
In the poll, Missouri retiree Reid Gibson described anger at what he said is the impact of the administration’s immigration policies on immigrants and on their sense of safety in the United States. Gibson said he hopes America becomes more welcoming again, but he worries it “may take many years to reverse the damage that the Trump administration has inflicted.” He added, “It’s just plain wrong,” and said, “This is not a good country for immigrants anymore.”
Gibson’s account was echoed by other respondents who described changes driven by immigration enforcement, including concerns about visible identity. The AP said Gibson’s stepdaughter began carrying her passport because he said he was concerned her darker skin would make her a target in immigration crackdowns. Another respondent, 79-year-old Kathy Bailey, said she has seen immigration policy concerns seep into a small-town swim class she attends regularly; she said two women in the class—both naturalized citizens—began carrying their passports when they leave home.
Bailey, a Democrat in Illinois, described one of the women as especially worried about sticking out in a mostly white community. Bailey said the woman was frightened despite being an American citizen and compared her fear to an ordinary routine, saying she is “just another sweet old grandmother swimming at 5 in the morning.” Bailey said, “This is terrible for these women!” and added, “I’m just stunned at what we are coming to.”
The poll also found wide differences by race and ethnicity in who reports being affected. About 6 in 10 Hispanic adults said they or someone they know has started carrying proof of immigration status or citizenship, has been detained or deported, changed travel plans, or significantly changed routines because of immigration enforcement, according to the survey. The poll reported that this share was higher than among Black or white adults.
Other respondents tied their views about immigration’s future to what they said they have seen in their families and communities. Nick Grivas, a 40-year-old Democrat in Massachusetts, said his grandfather’s immigration from Greece shaped his perspective and said he believes federal policies have made the country less promising for people seeking a new life. He said, “We can see how we’re treating children and the children of the immigrants,” and that the country “is not viewing them as potential future Americans.”
Grivas said he worries the policies could discourage new arrivals from investing in local communities, particularly if people believe they may not be allowed to stay. He said, “You’re less willing to commit to the project if you don’t think that you’re gonna be able to stay.”
The AP-NORC poll also tested public views on birthright citizenship, which has become a central issue in litigation involving the Trump administration. The AP said the Supreme Court recently heard arguments about whether children born to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily are not American citizens. In the poll, about two-thirds of U.S. adults said automatic citizenship should be granted to all children born in the country, including most Democrats and independents, while Republicans were less supportive.
The poll found 44% of Republicans support birthright citizenship, and it also showed some respondents hold mixed views depending on circumstances. Among those who oppose automatic citizenship, Linda Steele, a 70-year-old Republican in Florida, said she believes only children born to American citizens should be granted citizenship and argued that foreigners in the U.S. legally should not be able to have a child who automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. She said, “That shouldn’t be allowed,” adding, “They’re just here visiting or going to school.”
When the survey asked about specific scenarios, about 6 in 10 U.S. adults said they support birthright citizenship for children born to parents on legal U.S. tourist visas, while about half supported it for children born to parents who are in the country illegally. The poll reported higher support—75%—for children born in the U.S. to parents legally on work visas, with increased support coming from Republicans saying this was an acceptable situation.
Kevin Craig, a 57-year-old conservative from Wilmington, North Carolina, told the poll he does not believe citizenship should be automatically granted. He said he believes there should be “at least some opportunity for intervention by a human being who can make some sort of a judgment.” He then added, “I think my personal opinion is that I can’t think of a situation where it would not be granted.”
The AP said the poll surveyed 2,596 adults using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The survey’s margin of sampling error for adults overall was plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.