New research shows most Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration and specifically oppose how federal agents are arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants.
Almost six in 10 Americans (58%) agree that “Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers should not be allowed to conceal their identity with masks or use unmarked vehicles when arresting people,” according to a survey released Oct. 22 by Public Religion Research Institute.
A significant majority of Democrats (84%) and most independents (64%) also agree with the statement, compared to 31% of Republicans.
Other than white Christians, majorities of religious Americans concur that ICE officers should be prohibited from concealing their identities using unmarked vehicles when conducting raids and making arrests. Among them are 80% of non-Christians, 74% of Hispanic Catholics, 72% of Black Protestants, 71% of Jewish and religiously unaffiliated Americans and 67% of Hispanic Protestants.
However, only 48% of white Catholics, 46% of white Mainline Protestants and 34% of white evangelicals disagree with the ICE practices.
“People who are adherents to Christian nationalism are much more likely to say they (ICE agents) should be allowed” to wear masks and drive unmarked vehicles, PRRI President Robert P. Jones added during an event outlining the research.
Most Americans who reject Christian nationalism (84%) and those skeptical of it (59%) oppose the practice, versus minorities of sympathizers (42%) and adherents (36%) who are against it, according to the study conducted in collaboration with the Brookings Institution.
“You can just see the relationship here. The more you are likely to support Christian nationalism, the more you are likely to support allowing ICE to wear a mask and use unmarked vehicles,” Jones explained.
The survey found 43% of Americans, including minorities of Democrats and independents, approve of how Trump is handling immigration issues overall, while Republican support reached 80%.
One Trump policy opposed by most Americans (63%) is that of arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants who are long-time U.S. residents and who have no criminal records, PRRI found.
Contrary to the administration’s claims it is targeting only “the worst of the worst” of unauthorized immigrants, government statistics indicate up to 71% of those arrested and detained as of September had no criminal histories.
The PRRI study found 32% “strongly oppose” this practice, while 61% of Republicans, 26% of independents and 12% of Democrats favor the policy.
Support for arresting undocumented immigrants without criminal histories also is low among white Catholics (44%), white Mainline Protestants (43%), Black Protestants (30%) and with Hispanic Protestants and Jewish and religiously unaffiliated Americans (each at 22%).
“Christian nationalism adherents (57%) are the most likely to favor arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants without criminal records, followed by 50% of sympathizers, 37% of skeptics, and only 9% of rejecters,” the survey said, using categories from PRRI’s ongoing research.
Most respondents this year oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to arrest, detain and deport undocumented immigrants without granting them the right to court hearings.
PRRI reported 61% of Americans agree that “immigrants, regardless of legal status, should have basic rights and protections such as the ability to challenge their deportation in court.” Only 36% disagree.
Solid majorities of religious Americans also agree immigrants should have those rights regardless of legal status, including 78% of Jewish Americans and other non-Christians, 76% of Hispanic Catholics, 74% of unaffiliated Americans, 71% of Black Protestants and 58% of Hispanic Protestants.
“By contrast, agreement is lower among white Christians: 52% of white Mainline/non-evangelical Protestants, half of white Catholics (50%), and just 39% of white evangelical Protestants agree,” PRRI reported.
In related findings:
- 65% of Americans oppose deporting immigrants to prisons in third-party countries like El Salvador, Rwanda or Libya without the right to challenge those decisions in court. In addition, 58% disagree with holding undocumented immigrants in detention camps until deportation.
- In contrast, 69% of Republicans agree with the question about internment camps and 62% on rendition to foreign prisons without due process.
- White evangelicals largely agree with sending undocumented immigrants to internment camps (59%) or foreign prisons (52%) without access to due process.
- Race and religious affiliation also play into attitudes on those issues, with majorities of white Christians opposed to due process rights for undocumented immigrants and in agreement with detention camps and rendition to foreign prisons.
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