Public reaction to former President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation policies remains deeply divided, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.
Roughly 32 percent of US adults believe all undocumented immigrants should be deported, while 16 percent oppose any deportations. The majority – about 51 percent – support deporting some individuals, particularly those convicted of violent crimes. Among this group, an overwhelming 97 percent favor deporting individuals with violent criminal records.
Support declines for deporting those convicted of nonviolent crimes (52 percent) or individuals who arrived in the US within the past four years (44 percent). Even less backing exists for deporting undocumented immigrants with strong US ties – only 15 percent support deporting those who are employed, 14 percent those who are parents of US-born children, 9 percent those who came to the country as children, and just 5 percent those married to US citizens.
When it comes to enforcement tactics, most Americans approve of arrests at protests or in private homes, but a majority oppose arrests in sensitive locations such as schools and places of worship.
don@heraldcorp.com
