Poll: Two-thirds of voters back legal immigration, but support has slipped

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ISTANBUL (AA) - A majority of Americans continue to view legal immigration positively, though support has slipped since late summer, according to a Napolitan News Service/RMG Research poll released Sunday.

The national survey of 1,000 registered voters, conducted Nov. 12–13, found that 67% believe “legal immigration is good for the United States, but illegal immigration is bad.” That is down from 74% in a similar poll published Aug. 21.

Another 17% said both legal and illegal immigration are bad for the country, while 10% said all immigration is good.

The poll also found strong backing for targeted legal immigration pathways in areas facing worker shortages. Sixty-four percent of voters said it is “very important” to create legal routes for doctors and nurses to live and work in the US -- a decline from 71% in August.

The results come as the Trump administration intensifies immigration enforcement in its first year back in office, pointing to a steep drop in the foreign-born US population. The White House has credited mass deportations, visa-fraud crackdowns and an indefinite freeze on refugee admissions -- policies that have drawn legal challenges and criticism from several major cities.