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On the latest episode of “Face the Nation,” CBS News’ Margaret Brennan told Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla that “public approval” for Donald Trump’s deportation agenda is “so high,” referencing the latest CBS News poll.
“But details matter,” the senator replied. “It depends.”
It does, indeed. The host wasn’t wrong about her network’s latest survey: A CBS News poll, released last week, found 54% support for deporting immigrants who aren’t legally supposed to be in the United States, and also found the president with a 50% approval rating on immigration — better than his standing on other issues.
But this isn’t the only available data.
- The latest national poll from Quinnipiac University found that 43% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, while 54% disapprove. Just as notably, the same survey found 40% of Americans approve of Trump’s deportation agenda, while 56% disapprove.
- The latest Washington Post-Schar School poll asked respondents, “Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Trump is handling immigration enforcement, including deportations?” The results showed 37% approved, while 52% disapproved.
- The latest Associated Press/NORC poll found 46% approve of Trump’s handling of immigration policy, while 53% disapprove.
- The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll found 49% believed the president had gone too far with his arrests of immigrants, compared to 40% who said he had not done so.
Meanwhile, related public opinion research showed that the White House’s policies toward immigration protests in Los Angeles are not at all popular, and there has been related data in recent weeks and months showing majority support for due process — which puts the American mainstream at odds with Trump and his team.
The data led The New York Times’ Jamelle Bouie to argue, “What these numbers tell me is that with a more measured approach, Trump might have been able to win this confrontation and bring Americans around to his position. As it stands, a draconian use of force against largely peaceful protesters — in service of a brutal campaign of deportations — has turned the public against him, even as it dislikes the protests themselves. And I expect that the manhandling and handcuffing of Senator Alex Padilla of California during a news conference held by Kristi Noem, secretary of homeland security — a stunning abuse of power — will worsen the president’s position with most Americans.”
Or put another way, when Padilla said “it depends” in response to a claim about public attitudes, he had a point.