A new national survey is dealing a major blow to the Democratic Party’s immigration messaging and reinforcing President Donald Trump’s long-held position on border enforcement and deportations.
The poll, released by Cygnal, finds overwhelming public support for enforcing immigration law, deporting those in the country illegally, and allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do its job. The results directly contradict years of media and Democratic claims that deportation is unpopular or extreme.
According to the survey, nearly three-quarters of voters, 73 percent, say entering the United States without legal permission is breaking the law. By a two-to-one margin, 61 percent to 34 percent, voters support deporting those who are in the country illegally. A majority, 54 percent, want ICE actively enforcing federal immigration laws and removing illegal immigrants, while 58 percent oppose defunding ICE.
Those numbers cut across party lines, with Independents and swing voters siding far closer to Republicans than Democrats on nearly every question related to immigration enforcement. The political consequences for Democrats become even more severe when voters are told the party supports defunding ICE or shutting down the federal government to stop deportations.
Cygnal’s polling shows the generic congressional ballot flips dramatically under those scenarios. Democrats’ four-point advantage disappears entirely when voters learn Democrats oppose ICE enforcement. If Democrats push for a government shutdown to defund ICE, Republicans gain a two-point lead nationally, representing a six-point swing away from Democrats. Among swing voters, the shift is a staggering 16 points toward Republicans.
The survey also shows how isolated Democrats are on the broader issue of illegal immigration. Sixty-four percent of likely midterm voters say illegal immigration is a serious problem in the United States, including 71 percent of swing voters. Nearly all Republicans agree, along with a solid majority of Independents. Democrats are the only group where most respondents claim illegal immigration is not a problem.
“Voters see illegal immigration as a simple question of law and order,” said Brent Buchanan, Cygnal’s CEO and founder. “The data leaves no wiggle room. Americans want the law enforced, they want illegal immigrants removed, and they punish politicians who try to block ICE from doing its job.”
Reports this week indicate a sharp escalation in immigration enforcement across the United States as the Trump administration continues to push forward with large-scale deportation operations. Federal authorities have expanded ICE activity beyond traditional border areas, triggering high-profile arrests, accelerated removals, and the rapid transfer of detainees to newly expanded holding facilities.
The enforcement surge has sparked widespread protests in major cities including New York, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles, where demonstrators accuse the administration of conducting mass deportations and overreaching federal authority.
For Republicans and President Trump, the findings validate a core issue that has defined his political brand since 2016. Rather than costing the GOP politically, strong support for deportations and ICE enforcement appears to be a net winner, especially with Independents and voters who decide close elections.
