A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey unveiled this Friday highlights immigration as the foremost issue Americans expect President-elect Donald Trump to tackle once he takes office in January 2025. Trump, a Republican who has vowed to take a hard stance against illegal immigration, faces a nation sharply divided over his plans for mass deportations.
The poll, conducted over two days, found that 25% of participants believe immigration should be Trump's main focus during his first 100 days in office. This percentage significantly overshadows other issues like income inequality (14%) and tax reform (12%). There is a widespread belief that Trump will likely initiate large-scale deportations, with 82% of those surveyed considering such actions probable, reflecting a stark division between Democrats and Republicans.
Divided Opinions on Deportation Plans
While 90% of Republicans expressed little concern over potential deportations, 82% of Democrats and 40% of independents voiced anxiety about the repercussions of these actions. Trump has anchored part of his campaign on the promise to expel one million undocumented immigrants annually, even suggesting collaboration with GOP-led state governments and leveraging federal funds to pressure jurisdictions opposing mass deportations.
His running mate, JD Vance, has hinted that this initiative could become one of the largest deportation efforts in the nation's history. The survey revealed that 58% of Republicans—but only 15% of Democrats—agree that unauthorized immigrants should be arrested and placed in detention camps while awaiting deportation hearings. Conversely, 75% of Democrats and 31% of Republicans opposed this measure.
Criticism from Immigration Advocates
Immigrant rights advocates have slammed Trump's plans as costly, divisive, and inhumane. Yet, the President-elect remains steadfast, reiterating in a recent NBC News interview his commitment to fulfilling his promise, regardless of the expense, stating, "It's not about the cost... We really have no choice."
The survey, which was conducted online and included 1,471 adults nationwide, has a margin of error of 3 percentage points for the overall sample and 5 percentage points for the Republican and Democrat subgroups.