For the first time since 2005, a majority of Americans said they would like decreased immigration to the U.S., according to Gallup.

The poll, taken in June, found 55% of Americans are in favor of curbing immigration — the highest reading since 2001, when 58% said so.

What You Need To Know

  • 55% of Americans would like immigration to the U.S. decreased, according to a Gallup poll conducted in June

  • It's the first time since 2005 that most Americans said they would like less immigration

  • 86% of Democrats say immigration is good for the country, compared with 39% of Republicans

  • Since 1965, an average of 42% of Americans have favored reducing immigration, 35% preferred keeping levels as is and 18% wanted increases

The poll noted that the decline was led by fewer people saying they wanted immigration increased or kept at its present level. Immigration continues to rank among the most important problems facing the country among those polled, with 42% in the new survey saying the U.S. border with Mexico is a crisis and 35% describing it as a major problem.

Democrats, Independents and Republicans favor less immigration this year, according to the poll. Republicans are most in favor of immigration cutbacks (88%), followed by independents (50%) and Democrats (28%).

Three in four Americans favor increased hiring of border patrol agents. One in two (53%) favor expanding construction of the wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

The poll noted a 13-point increase in support for the border wall and a 10-point increase for deporting illegal immigrants compared with 2019. Support for illegal immigrants to become citizens has fallen 11 points over the same timeframe.

While Americans were split on whether immigrants living in the U.S. illegally should be deported to their home countries, 70% of U.S. adults said they favored allowing immigrants who came to the country illegally a chance to become citizens if they meet certain requirements, with 81% supporting a path to citizenship for children who were brought to the country illegally.

Overall, 64% of Americans said immigration is good for the country, and 32% said it is bad. Republicans were most likely to say immigration is bad. In 2020, 62% of Republicans said immigration was good for the U.S. compared with 47% after the 9/11 attacks and 39% today.

Democrats have the most positive view of immigration, with 86% saying it is good for the country. Gallup noted the difference between Democratic and Republican attitudes on the issue is the largest it has ever been since Gallup began polling about preferred immigration levels 59 years ago.

Since 1965, an average of 42% of Americans have favored reducing immigration, 35% preferred keeping levels as is and 18% wanted increases.

The three times when Americans have wanted to reduce immigration were in the early and mid 1990s, when California was contending with an immigrant influx; in 2002, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks; and in 2005, after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to bolster enforcement of the border.