Poll: 61% Say U.S. No Longer Great for Immigrants

A new nationwide poll conducted April 16-20, 2026, by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals that 61 percent of U.S. adults believe the country used to be a great place for immigrants but no longer is. The survey of 2,596 adults, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, shows 27 percent still view the United States as a great place for immigrants today, while 10 percent say it never has been.

The findings come amid heightened immigration enforcement by the Trump administration, including increased detentions and large-scale deportation operations, as well as Supreme Court arguments over efforts to limit birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents.

About one-third of respondents reported that they or someone they know had taken steps in the past year due to immigration concerns, such as carrying proof of citizenship or status, altering travel plans, or changing daily routines like avoiding work, school or public spaces. The rate was higher among Hispanic adults, with more than half reporting such experiences, compared to lower shares among Black and white adults. Democrats and independents were more...