The perception of illegal immigrants “taking jobs away from American workers” has increased by 12 points since 2020.
Vancouver, BC [January 27, 2025] – Practically half of Americans hold unfavourable views on immigration, and a majority believe illegal immigrants are detrimental to American workers, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, almost half of Americans (49%) think immigration is having a mostly negative effect in the United States, up 13 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in December 2020.
Americans aged 18-to-34 are more likely to hold unfavourable views on the effect of immigration (50%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (42%) and aged 55 and over (26%).
One-in-four Americans (25%, +1) think the number of legal immigrants who are allowed to relocate in the United States should increase, while three-in-ten (30%, +1) would prefer to see a decrease and 37% (-5) want the number to remain the same.
More than half of Americans (52%, +12) say the illegal immigrants in the United States take jobs away from American workers, while fewer than two-in-five (38%, -8) say they are employed in jobs that American workers do not want.
“Just over three-in-four Republicans (75%) and more than half of Independents (51%) believe illegal immigrants in the United States take jobs away from American workers,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only 32% of Democrats share this view.”
Just over three-in-ten Americans (31%, +8) think the illegal immigrants who are currently working in the United States should be required to leave their jobs and be deported. One-in-five (21%, +2) would allow illegal immigrants to work on a temporary basis, but without a “path to citizenship”.
The proportion of Americans who would allow illegal immigrants to stay in the United States and eventually apply for citizenship fell from 49% in December 2020 to 38% in January 2025.
Most Democrats (56%) prefer the “path to citizenship” route to handle illegal immigration, while most Republicans (51%) are supportive of deportation. Independents are evenly split when assessing these options (34% for each).
Americans of Latino/Hispanic descent and African Americans are more likely to support a “path to citizenship” for illegal immigrants (50% and 47% respectively) than White Americans (34%).
Deportation is the desired course of action for Americans who get their news on a local network (41%) or on Fox News (35%). Those who watch CNN or MSNBC/CNBC are more likely to express support for the “path to citizenship” (47% and 55% respectively).
President Donald Trump begins is second term in office with an approval rating of 50%. Trump’s numbers are particularly high among Republicans (85%), Fox News watchers (67%), Americans aged 18-to-34 (60%) and White Americans (58%).
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from January 22 to January 24, 2025, among 1,001 adults in the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to U.S. census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and here, and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca