- Increasing share of Republicans now say Trump's deportation efforts go too far, rising from 13% in March to 20% in October.
- Hispanic Republicans show sharp opposition, with 47% saying enforcement is excessive, signaling racial divides within the party.
- Public support fractures as aggressive tactics and large deportation numbers prompt growing doubts ahead of the 2026 midterms.
A fresh poll is highlighting something unexpected: even among Republicans, there’s a growing unease about the intensity of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.
Nearly a year into his second term, the administration’s aggressive drive toward mass deportations—complete with high-profile raids and record numbers of removals—is starting to draw criticism from within the president’s own party.
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October, 20% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents now say the Trump administration is doing “too much” when it comes to deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.
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That’s a noticeable jump from 13% who felt that way back in March.
While the majority—64%—believe the approach is “about the right amount,” and 16% want even more action, this shift suggests the unrelenting pace of enforcement might be testing the limits of GOP loyalty.
Why Republicans Are Becoming Dissatisfied
The divide is particularly stark along racial lines within the party.
Hispanic Republicans are far more likely to voice concerns, with 47% saying the administration is going “too much” in October—up sharply from 28% in March.
And get this, 13% of white Republicans share that same view, that’s an increase from 8% earlier in the year.
Overall, Americans lean critical: 53% say the administration is doing “too much” on deportations, compared to 36% who call it “about the right amount” and 10% who say “too little.”
These findings come as the Department of Homeland Security reports significant progress on Trump’s signature campaign promise.
Last week, DHS announced that more than 2.5 million immigrants living illegally in the U.S. have left since Trump took office in January.
That breaks down to over 605,000 formal deportations and a staggering 1.9 million who have “self-deported”—leaving voluntarily to avoid arrest.
President Trump himself touted these numbers during remarks at a White House ceremony honoring border defense efforts.
“We’ve made a big dent,” he said.
“And the self-deportation is something nobody talks about, but literally millions of people are self-deporting because they don’t want to be captured.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin echoed that triumph in a statement:
“The Trump Administration is shattering historic records with more than 2.5 million illegal aliens leaving the U.S. DHS has deported more than 605,000 illegal aliens and another 1.9 million have self-deported.
Since January 20, DHS has arrested more than 595,000 illegal aliens. Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now.
They know if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”
The administration’s actions have indeed disrupted communities, with raids targeting workplaces, homes, and public spaces.
Trump campaigned heavily on cracking down on illegal immigration, promising the largest deportation operation in history—and he’s delivered on ramping up enforcement.
But the Pew poll also delves into broader attitudes toward who should face deportation.
Sentiment Amongst Republicans
Among Republicans, 56% believe all immigrants living illegally in the country should be removed, while 39% say only some, and just 4% say none.
That hardline stance varies by demographics: 63% of white Republicans favor deporting everyone in this category, compared to 28% of Hispanic Republicans and 38% of Asian Republicans.
Democrats present a mirror image. Only 8% say all should be deported, with 62% favoring removal of just some and 30% saying none at all.
This isn’t the first sign that Trump’s immigration agenda, while popular in principle among his base, is hitting some turbulence in practice.
Earlier polls throughout 2025 have shown similar patterns of initial strong support giving way to reservations as the human and economic impacts become clearer.
For instance, a New York Times/Siena poll from October found that while registered voters still largely back the concept of deporting those here illegally (54% in favor, unchanged from prior surveys), majorities felt the methods had “gone too far.”
More than 90% of Republicans supported the idea in broad terms, but even there, nuances emerged when specifics like targeting longtime residents or non-criminals came into play.
A Gallup survey released in July captured a dramatic rebound in positive views toward immigration overall.
A record 79% of Americans said immigration is a “good thing” for the country—up sharply from previous years.
Support for decreasing immigration levels plummeted to 30% from 55% in 2024.
Notably, Republican views softened too: 64% now see immigration positively, compared to just 39% the year before.
That same Gallup data showed declining enthusiasm for some of Trump’s key policies, like mass deportations of all undocumented immigrants or further expanding the border wall.
And get this: 75% of ICE detainees have had no criminal background, contradicting the United States’ plan to deport ‘the worst of the worst’.
Experts Weigh In
Immigration expert Stephen Yale-Loehr, a former Cornell University professor, described the trend to Newsweek as evidence that “President Trump’s mass deportation efforts are backfiring.”
CNN polls from mid-2025 painted a picture of deepening opposition.
By July, 55% of Americans said Trump had “gone too far” on deportations—up 10 points from February.
Republican support remained high (around 83-85% approving overall handling), but independents and even some in the GOP base expressed doubts about targeting non-criminal, longtime residents.
Protests erupted in cities like Los Angeles earlier in the year, prompting Trump to deploy National Guard troops—a move that drew mixed reactions.
However, the administration has been given a deadline earlier this week to remove them.
While Republicans largely backed it, broader public opinion soured on tactics perceived as heavy-handed.
What Happens Next?
Looking ahead to the 2026 midterms, these shifting sentiments could spell trouble for Republicans.
Immigration helped propel Trump back to the White House, but with Democrats notching recent wins in state and federal races, any erosion in GOP enthusiasm risks dampening turnout or opening doors for challengers.
Views on the issue are fluid, as the Pew researchers note—likely to evolve as the administration presses on and economic or community impacts mount.
For now, though, the data points to a core truth: strong backing for tougher enforcement in theory, but growing hesitation when it hits close to home.
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Also Read: Number of Republicans That Identify as MAGA Takes a Plunge
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