Poll: Support drops for border wall, deporting Dreamers

Support for President Trump’s signature plan to build a wall along the Mexican border has dropped over the past two years, as has support for his policy of increased deportations of undocumented immigrants.

A Monmouth University poll released Thursday found 35 percent of Americans support Trump’s plan to build a wall, down from 48 percent in September 2015.

Support for deportations has dropped as well, especially among Republicans. Support for deporting immigrants who have been here at least two years dropped from 43 to 30 percent among Republicans over two years.

A majority of all respondents, 76 percent, told Monmouth that undocumented immigrants who have worked in the U.S. for at least two years should have a path to citizenship.

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“The rhetoric on illegal immigration may remain red-hot, but many Americans, especially Republicans, have shifted to a more moderate position since last year’s presidential campaign,” Monmouth poll director Patrick Murray said in a statement.

The poll also comes weeks after Trump moved to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which grants recipients who were brought to the country illegally as children work permits and temporary deferral from deportation.  

Trump though has said he expects Congress to work on a fix to protect DACA recipients, commonly known as “Dreamers.”

According to the poll, more than six in ten Americans support allowing Dreamers to stay, compared to just 33 percent who want to see them deported to their native countries.

A majority, 70 percent, would support citizenship for Dreamers, provided they don’t have a criminal history. Just 28 percent of Americans said they would somewhat oppose this move.

Murray said the question for Trump now is whether he will side with his base, which wants tougher action on immigration, or soften his stance.

“While an outright amnesty proposal has not been put on the table, these poll results suggest there is widespread support for allowing Dreamers to stay in the country. The question for Donald Trump is whether the small number of Americans who are strongly opposed to any perceived softening on immigration policy would desert him,” Murray said.

Monmouth’s poll was conducted over telephone from September 15-19, with 1,009 adults. The poll has a 3.1 percent margin of error.