A June 2025 Gallup poll showed that only 30 percent of Americans now want immigration reduced, down from 55 percent a year ago, while a record-high 79 percent say immigration is a good thing for the country.
This marks a dramatic reversal from the heightened concern about immigration in recent years, returning public sentiment to where it stood before the recent surge in border crossings and policy controversies surrounding it.
The largest shift in opinion occurred among Republicans, in response to the question:
“Thinking now about immigrants—that is, people who come from other countries to live here in the United States—in your view, should immigration be kept at its present level, increased or decreased?”
Just 47 percent of Republicans wanted immigration decreased in 2020, but that figure rose steadily to 88 percent by 2024 before plummeting back to 48 percent in 2025.
This considerable shift suggests that public opinion is now back in line with the broadly positive views on immigration recorded by Gallup polls at least since the turn of the century. This widespread support mirrors economic research showing that immigrants boost growth, drive innovation, and help sustain key industries across the country.
Americans more positive about immigration than ever
In the annual Gallup survey on immigration, 79 percent of Americans answered positively to the question, “On the whole, do you think immigration is a good thing or a bad thing for this country today?”
Although this is a record high in public opinion for immigration in Gallup polls since at least 2001, it is not anomalous relative to past results. In fact, over the past 24 years, an average of 66.6 percent of Americans polled by Gallup responded positively to this question. Since 2015, the average has been even higher, at 72.7 percent.
Since the turn of the century, the majority of Americans have considered immigration to be a “good thing,” with positive responses never dropping below the 52 percent shown in 2002.
When sorted by party demographics, the positive opinions remain. The only drop below 50 percent for this question by any party occurred among Republicans in 2002, 2022, and 2024. Notably, before the 2002 poll, Republicans had a more favorable view of immigration than both Democrats and Independents (65 percent for Republicans, 62 percent for Democrats and 60 percent for Independents).
For the question about preferences about immigration rates specifically, a surge in a preference for “decreased immigration” happened in October 2001, and June 2024 (following a rise since 2021). Although 2024 marked the highest level of support for reducing immigration in more than two decades, 64 percent of polled Americans nonetheless responded that immigration is a good thing.
What does this mean for policy?
Despite the short-term concern in 2024, U.S. attitudes on immigration have remained solidly positive over the long term. The current rebound in pro-immigration sentiment signals a restoration of baseline support for immigration as a contributor to national well-being.
This public support aligns with the large body of evidence showing that immigration strengthens the U.S. economy and benefits American workers.
A recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond shows that when firms win the H1-B lottery, on net they do not displace skilled workers and, in fact, skilled American workers experience wage increases. Furthermore, these companies are more likely to both survive and scale, hiring more people across skill levels. These benefits are especially important for lower-income households that rely on broad-based economic growth and job creation. Additionally, the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the price of IT goods is lower because of immigrants, and IT sector companies produce more goods. As recent policy changes restrict these programs, including the Trump administration’s recent $100,000 H-1B fee, this consequences become increasingly important to consider.
This pattern of economic benefit extends to the broader economic picture. According to a 2024 Cato analysis of a model created by the Manhattan institute, the lifetime fiscal effect of immigrants ages 18-24 ranges from a net addition of $44,856, to $300,470, depending on education. In another analysis, with some exceptions, the net fiscal impact for immigrants is more positive than it is for native-born Americans.
Policymakers have an opportunity to advance reforms that reflect both the economic findings and the positive public sentiment toward immigration. Meanwhile, attempts to implement broad restrictions on legal immigration—especially at moments of declining border apprehension—may run counter to the public’s demonstrated preferences. Instead, measures that focus on welcoming immigrants that add to the nation’s character and economy may receive more backing long term across demographics.
If the public’s views continue to hold at record highs, immigration policy debates may increasingly center not on whether immigrants should be part of America’s future, but on how to design pathways that allow them to contribute most effectively to the nation’s culture and economy.