A recent Fox News poll has revealed a significant shift in American public opinion regarding immigration policy. The survey, conducted between June 13-16, 2025, found that 70% of voters believe legal immigrants positively contribute to the U.S. economy, a marked increase from 55% two years ago. This growth in support for legal immigration is largely attributed to a surge in Republican backing, with 61% now viewing legal immigrants as beneficial, compared to 35% in 2023.
At the same time, a majority of voters—56%—favor deporting those who are in the U.S. illegally. However, this number has dropped slightly from 63% in March and is down from a high of 67% in October 2024 and December 2023. The divide is most evident along political lines, with most Republicans (87%) and a majority of Independents (54%) supporting deportation, while more than two-thirds of Democrats (67%) oppose it. The poll also highlights a nuanced stance among Hispanic voters, who are more likely to support the benefits of legal immigration (68%) than those who are harmful (24%), but remain split on the issue of deporting undocumented immigrants (49% in favor, 48% opposed).
These findings come in the wake of recent federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, which have sparked nationwide protests against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. In response to the protests, Trump mobilized the National Guard and U.S. military to assist federal agents and local law enforcement, a move that has drawn objections from state and local officials, including California Governor Gavin Newsom. The mobilization of national forces has further deepened the divide among voters, with 52% believing it was inappropriate, compared to 47% who consider it appropriate.
Public sentiment toward ICE itself is mixed, with nearly half of voters (46%) approving of the agency’s job performance, while disapproval has increased from 41% in 2018 to 49% in 2025. Attitudes toward ICE are heavily influenced by political affiliation, with more than 8 in 10 Democrats disapproving of ICE’s actions, while an equal number of Republicans approve of its work. Independents, meanwhile, remain split, with almost two-thirds disapproving.
Pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democratic counterpart Chris Anderson, noted that while Trump maintains strong support for policies aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants, Democrats and some independents are more likely to view the ICE raids as heavy-handed, with a broad net cast, which may influence opposition to federal enforcement actions. The survey also highlights the growing public concern over the broader implications of Trump’s immigration policies, with 53% believing they have gone too far, while 21% think they haven’t gone far enough. However, there is still a significant portion of voters (26%) who feel the policies are about right.
Despite the overall concerns, the survey reveals that the most pressing issues for voters remain the future of the U.S., inflation, government spending, and the potential for Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Illegal immigration and the deployment of federal troops in cities are also concerns, but these are not the highest priority for most voters. The poll underscores a complex and divided public sentiment on immigration, where legal immigration is broadly supported, but the treatment of undocumented immigrants and the role of federal agencies remain hotly contested issues.