Nearly half of Democrats say they support mass deportations of illegal aliens as border crossings and other modes of illicit entry remain elevated, according to a survey from Axios.
The new survey found that 51% of the public would support mass deportations, a solution to the illegal immigration crisis floated by presumptive Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. Even as 68% of Republicans back the policy, some 42% of Democrats reported that they also agree with mass deportations, while roughly 47% of independents said the same.
"I was surprised at the public support for large-scale deportations," Mark Penn, chairman of The Harris Poll and a previous strategist for former President Bill Clinton, remarked to Axios.
When they were asked about their “greatest concern around illegal immigration,” roughly 21% of respondents mentioned crime, drugs, and violence; another 18% referenced added costs to taxpayers; and 17% cited risks related to national security and terrorism.
The unexpected level of support for crackdowns on illegal immigration comes as a record number of illegal aliens enter the United States under the current administration, marking a key concern for voters ahead of the elections. Customs and Border Protection has encountered more than 7.5 million individuals entering the country illegally under President Joe Biden.
Yet respondents to the Axios survey signaled that they continue to support legal immigration: 58% said they would back expanded legal pathways for orderly immigration, while 46% would support protecting asylum seekers who enter the country for legitimate reasons.
“The tradeoff here in the poll is, people would take expanded legal immigration if they saw there's a crackdown on the border," Penn added to Axios.
Other polls have confirmed a similar level of bipartisan support for addressing illegal immigration: one survey from the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center found that hiring more border patrol agents is somewhat favored or strongly favored by 79% of Republicans and 54% of Democrats, as well as 56% of independents.
