Poll: Majority of Americans disapprove of Trump on immigration

A majority of U.S. voters disapprove of President Trump’s handling of immigration, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday.

The poll found that 58 percent of voters disagree with the way Trump handles immigration policy, compared to 39 percent who agree with the president’s policies. 

{mosads}The poll results come as the Trump administration continues to face backlash for its “zero tolerance” policy prioritizing the prosecution of people who cross into the U.S. illegally through Mexico.

Thousands of migrant children have been separated from their parents or guardians as a result of that policy, sparking public outrage and nationwide protests.

The poll also found that an overwhelming majority of American voters — 83 percent — believe that the Trump administration has a responsibility to reunite families that have been separated as a result of the zero tolerance policy.

A large majority of Republican voters also hold that position. Seventy-percent said they believe the administration should work to reunite families. Among Democrats, an overwhelming majority — 98 percent — said the same. 

A 60 percent majority also said that separating children from their parents at the border violates basic human rights. Respondents were more starkly divided along party lines on that issue, however, with 95 percent of Democrats saying it does, compared to just 21 percent of Republicans.

Trump capitulated to public pressure last month, signing an executive order allowing migrant children and parents to be detained together. But the details of how the administration planned to enforce that order remain murky because minors can only be held for 20 days — a limit that does not apply to adults.

Days later, a federal judge in San Diego ordered the government to work quickly to reunite migrant families that had been separated. That order gives officials 14 days to reunite children under the age of 5 with their parents, while older children must be reunited with their parents within 30 days.

It’s still unclear how the Trump administration will meet those deadlines.

The Quinnipiac poll surveyed 1,020 voters nationwide from June 27 to July 1. It has a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.