A new Harvard CAPS Harris poll provides fresh evidence that Americans support a central part of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. As Breitbart reported, 77% of registered voters support deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes. The survey, conducted from September 26 through September 28 among 2,200 registered voters, makes removal of criminal illegal immigrants one of the most popular policies tested.
The result matters because the immigration debate often blurs several distinct questions. Americans may disagree about the scale, pace, and methods of enforcement. Yet a large bipartisan majority supports the basic proposition that non-citizens who entered or remained in the country illegally and then committed crimes should be removed. That is a mandate for enforcement, not a mandate for permanent delay, selective nonenforcement, or endless legal evasions.
The same survey found more divided views on related proposals. 51% supported allowing federal immigration authorities access to information on low-income households, including some information involving Medicaid, SNAP, and immigrant tax filings. 50% supported giving immigration officers authority to deny green cards to applicants who use public benefits. Those narrower margins show why the administration’s strongest political case rests on the enforcement of existing immigration law against criminal illegal immigrants.
The September Harvard CAPS Harris findings also show that immigration remains Trump’s best rated issue area. The survey placed his approval on immigration at 48%, ahead of his ratings on the economy and inflation. Its policy findings identified deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes as one of Trump’s most broadly supported positions.
Economic concerns also shape the immigration debate. A USAFacts analysis reported that nominal wages increased by 3.7 percent from August 2025 through August 2026, compared with inflation of 3.4 percent. It concluded that wage growth exceeded inflation by 0.29 percentage points, meaning workers experienced a modest increase in purchasing power over the previous year.
At the end of the day, the answer is not to settle permanently for partial enforcement. The United States should fully secure the border, remove illegal immigrants who commit crimes, and sharply restrict both illegal and legal immigration until citizens regain control over their labor market, housing market, public resources, and national sovereignty.
Polling consistently shows that Americans want stronger limits and real enforcement. A Republican Congress and Trump administration should treat that demand as a governing obligation and deliver the immigration restriction voters elected them to pursue as soon as possible.
