Trump’s assertion comes as Americans express increasingly positive views of immigration.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of adults believed immigration was a good thing, according to a Gallup poll published July 9, which is above the 25-year average of 67%. While Americans were nearly equally split on whether they would prefer to see immigration levels increase, decrease, or stay the same, backing for hiring additional Border Patrol agents fell 10 points since 2025.
Taken together, polling this year suggests that Americans distinguish between immigration itself, the enforcement of immigration laws, and the resources and tactics used to carry out that enforcement. A Reuters-Ipsos poll from January showed that 7 in 10 Americans are “paying close attention” to federal efforts to deal with unauthorized entry into the U.S.
With protests erupting this week throughout Maine, as well as in cities like New York, Boston, and Los Angeles, there is a widening call for oversight of and accountability for ICE—including the mandatory use of the body cameras that were funded through a $20 million congressional appropriation earlier this year.