Americans Want Trump to Tackle Immigration First, New Poll Shows

The latest US poll reveals that Americans consider immigration to be the most pressing issue for President-elect Donald Trump to address once he takes office. A significant portion of respondents believes that Trump will pursue mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted shortly after his election victory.

Seeking on Trump's top priority for his first 100 days in office, 25% of respondents said immigration should be his primary focus—far more than any other issue. Other concerns like income inequality (14%), taxes (12%), healthcare, crime, jobs, and the environment ranked lower.

The poll found that 82% of participants believe mass deportations are likely under Trump's leadership. This view is shared by both Democrats and Republicans, though with some differences in concern. While 82% of Democrats and 40% of independents expressed worry over the possibility, around 90% of Republicans showed little concern about the deportation plan.

Trump campaigned on a promise to tackle illegal immigration, including mass deportations, a strategy his running mate JD Vance estimated could see up to 1 million people removed from the U.S. each year. Despite research showing that immigrants are not more likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans, Trump frequently highlighted crime committed by undocumented immigrants during his campaign.

Supporters of Trump's policy, including some likely members of his second administration, anticipate a wide-scale operation involving not only federal agencies but also state and local governments. The plan may also rely on federal funding to encourage compliance from states and jurisdictions resistant to mass deportations.

While advocates for immigrants warn that this approach could be expensive, divisive, and harmful, Trump remains firm in his stance. In an interview with NBC News, he reiterated his commitment to mass deportations, regardless of the cost. "It’s not a question of a price tag. It’s not—we have no choice," Trump said.

The poll also highlighted a divide over how deportations might be carried out. About 58% of Republicans, compared to only 15% of Democrats, supported the idea of detaining undocumented immigrants while they await deportation hearings. However, 75% of Democrats and 31% of Republicans opposed this approach.

Trump's administration may also attempt to use the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a wartime statute, to expedite deportations of alleged gang members, though this is expected to face legal challenges. Historically, the law has been used in wartime situations, such as during World War I and World War II, when it was used to justify the internment of people of Japanese, German, and Italian descent.

The online survey involved 1,471 adults nationwide, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points overall, and 5 percentage points for the Republican and Democratic groups.

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