Despite weeks of hostile media coverage and sustained attacks from the political left, President Donald Trump’s standing with voters remains remarkably stable — particularly on border security and immigration enforcement.
According to a new national survey, Trump’s job approval is unchanged from last month. Fifty percent approve, including 36% who approve of both his persona and his policies, and 14% who approve of his policies. Forty-seven percent disapprove.
(Poll of 1,000 likely voters, ±3.1%, 95% confidence level, conducted January 21–27.)
Trump’s Base Remains Rock Solid
The key reason Trump’s numbers are holding steady is simple: his base has not moved.
Trump 2024 voters: 89% approve, 9% disapprove
Republicans: 88% approve, 11% disapprove
Conservatives: 85% approve, 14% disapprove
That level of loyalty is rare in modern American politics and is driven largely by Trump’s firm stance on immigration enforcement.
Immigration Remains a Winning Issue
Recent ICE operations in Minneapolis became a national flashpoint, amplified by aggressive coverage from left-leaning media outlets. The messaging was clear: undermine federal immigration enforcement by attacking the agency tasked with carrying it out.
But the polling shows the strategy is failing.
When voters were asked whether they support deporting known criminal and terrorist migrants who entered the country illegally, support was overwhelming:
87% support deportation
67% strongly support
Only 10% oppose
Among Hispanic voters, support remained strong at 79% to 19%, virtually unchanged from December.
Broader Deportation Still Has Majority Support
Support remains high even when the question expands beyond criminals.
Asked whether they support deporting migrants who entered the country illegally:
62% support
39% strongly support
32% oppose
Hispanic voters are more divided, with 46% supporting and 49% opposing, but overall public opinion has shifted very little in recent months.
The bottom line: Americans want illegal immigration stopped.
Where the Left Has Made Gains: ICE
While voters support the goal, attitudes toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have become more polarized.
ICE’s current favorability stands at:
42% favorable
50% unfavorable
Among Hispanic voters, ICE is viewed unfavorably by a 58% to 31% margin.
When asked about defunding or abolishing ICE:
46% support
48% oppose
The split is sharply partisan:
Republicans: 66% oppose abolishing ICE
Democrats: 65% support abolishing ICE
Independents: Lean against abolition, 47% to 41%
Sanctuary Cities and State Resistance
Voters are less divided on sanctuary cities.
48% support cutting federal funding to sanctuary cities
42% oppose
Trump voters support defunding by 75% to 17%, while Democratic voters strongly oppose it.
A majority of voters also reject state-level defiance of federal law. Fifty-one percent oppose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s push to shield illegal immigrants from deportation, while 36% support it.
Strong Backing for Aggressive Drug Enforcement
Voters also favor decisive action against international drug trafficking.
58% approve of Trump using the U.S. military to stop fentanyl flows from Venezuela
36% oppose
Majorities of Hispanics, independents, and moderates all support this approach, including action against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was indicted in 2020 on drug trafficking charges.
Conclusion
The polling paints a clear picture:
Deporting criminal illegal immigrants is overwhelmingly popular
Deporting illegal immigrants more broadly still has majority support
ICE itself has become the focal point of polarization
The left has failed to change public opinion on outcomes. Instead, it has targeted the tools needed to enforce the law.
President Trump understands this distinction — and the voters, according to the data, are still firmly with him.