Washington, D.C. – A fresh Gallup survey has upended the narrative of immigration as America’s boiling issue, revealing that public anxiety over border security has plummeted to pre-pandemic levels, with the economy and healthcare now dominating voters’ minds. Conducted June 2-26, the poll of 1,402 adults found just 30% of Americans calling for decreased immigration—nearly half the 55% peak in June 2024—while a robust 79% view immigrants as a net positive for the U.S.
The shift marks a stark reversal from the 2021-2024 surge, when record crossings fueled demands for walls and crackdowns. Now, with President Trump’s deportation machine in overdrive—2.1 million exits tallied since January—fewer respondents back hardline measures. Support for boosting Border Patrol at ports has dipped to 59% from 76%, and 78% favor citizenship pathways for long-term undocumented residents, up 8 points. “The administration’s swift response has defused the bomb,” Gallup analyst Lydia Saad noted, crediting visible enforcement for the thaw.
Yet the poll underscores partisan chasms. Among Republicans, calls to slash immigration fell from 88% to 48%, but 43% still disapprove of Trump’s handling overall—a Quinnipiac finding echoed in broader discontent. Independents and Democrats, meanwhile, prioritize financial woes: 68% fret over inflation and deficits, per the survey, amid the 32-day shutdown’s SNAP freeze. Only 17% now see immigration’s effects as negative, down from 32% last year.
Critics like Sen. Chuck Schumer decry the data as a “wake-up call” for overreach, warning raids alienate moderates. Trump, undeterred, hailed the numbers on Truth Social: “Borders secure—now onto jobs!” As midterms dawn, the poll signals a pivot: Immigration, once a GOP cudgel, recedes as pocketbook pains rise. For a nation exhausted by division, the border’s shadow shortens—but the economy’s glare intensifies.
