The family of Hersh Goldberg-Polin appears on a screen via video link during a news conference in Tel Aviv

Former US president Trump's hush money criminal trial continues in New York City, USA - 13 May 2024

Trump

The Washington Post

US-POLITICS-JUSTICE-COURT-TRUMP

Contributor

For The Washington Post

(Chris Gash for The Washington Post)

APTOPIX Israel Holocaust Remembrance

op-allen-democracypromo

Stormy Daniels

UGCR

RUSSIA-US-DIPLOMACY-BASKET-COURT

(Michelle Kondrich/The Washington Post)

**ONE TIME USE ONLY FOR OP-LAMOTT

Sonia Sotomayor,Clarence Thomas,John Roberts,Samuel Alito,Elena Kagan,Amy Coney Barrett,Neil Gorsuch,Brett Kavanaugh,Ketanji Brown Jackson,Michael Dreeben

Children holding hands

ONE TIME USE FOR OP-CARNEY KIDS 

FEDERALISTGALA

Four Dalmatian Puppy

other

People visit the site of the Nova festival, in Reim

Fake Electors Indictment Arizona

Respond to prefers-color-scheme dark in app web views

Follow section front redirects in Spectrum

Enable NLP source in PCS for load testing

Switch off the News Alerts Survey Widget when we have enough responses

Poll to determine if new LUF updates are available

Allows the winning A/B test variant to be turned on without Spectrum deployment

Show infinite scrolling sections in Assembler MultiView

Show option for NLP article summaries in Action Bar

Show NLP summaries collection recirc on article pages

A general feature flag for Recipe Features that aren't yet released

Feature flag for media team features that aren't yet released

Use new Orca video player for preroll plugin in Spectrum

Show the snow tracker (instead of the heat tracker) on Spectrum

Best Places to Work in the Federal Government 2023

A hō’ike in Virginia celebrates Hawaiian life

Think you can build a gold-medal U.S. gymnastics team? Try it.

Senators studied AI for a year. Critics call the result ‘pathetic.’

Cruise settles with person dragged under one of its robotaxis

Google’s AI answers could come back to bite it

Look to the cloud to protect the life documents saved on your computer

Can you spot bad financial advice on TikTok? Take our quiz.

5 myths about Social Security as the program faces a funding crisis

Puppy abandoned with heart-rending note is adopted, named Minerva

Man, 91, shocks tiny firehouse with $500K gift: ‘Nobody knew how much I’d saved’

Retired cop meets abandoned baby he helped 23 years ago: ‘What are the odds?’

The 34 best things to do in D.C. this weekend and next week

Rating every game on the Commanders’ 2024 schedule

8 best things to do with kids in the D.C. area this weekend 

Netflix will air NFL’s Christmas games, a major step for streaming service

Sam Feist, longtime CNN executive, will become CEO of C-SPAN

Michael Cohen testimony ties Donald Trump to hush money payment

Carolyn Hax: Fiancé plans to have a baby with someone else

Ask Amy: I’m scared of my adult stepson who keeps losing his temper

Ask Sahaj: I live with my parents and generational trauma ‘runs the house’

The Post’s choices in Northern Virginia’s U.S. House primaries

States see legalized sports betting as a tax windfall — but at what cost?

Haiti’s plight is a case study in the ‘responsibility to protect’

6 Airbnb red flags to spot before you make a booking mistake

Cruise ships to return to Baltimore two months after bridge collapse 

Some cruise prices are about to get a little more clear

Who is Robert Fico? What to know about Slovakia’s leader who was shot.

Middle East conflict live updates: U.S.-built pier anchored in Gaza; ICJ hears Rafah is ‘endgame’ in Gaza destruction

Slovakia’s Fico in serious condition; suspect charged with attempted murder

Voters key to past Democratic wins are skeptical and undermotivated

Trump’s ‘they’re out to get me’ campaign and its enablers

Biden campaign accepts invite to a vice-presidential debate 

Jacquelyn Martin

Americans overwhelmingly <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-trump-americans-trust-president-poll/story?id=107938351" target=_blank>trust Donald Trump</a> more than <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/candidates/joe-biden-2024/" target="_blank" class="contextual_link">President Biden</a> on immigration, <a href="https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/48812-who-would-handle-15-issues-better-joe-biden-donald-trump-poll" target=_blank>polls show</a>. This might be unsurprising, since the southern border is overwhelmed and Trump has made immigration the centerpiece of all his presidential campaigns.

But it’s also kind of astonishing. Most of what Trump actually plans to do about immigration in a second term is unpopular.

Myths and misinformation about immigrants (whether legal or undocumented) abound, including whether they’re more likely to commit crimes (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/29/truth-about-illegal-immigration-crime/" target=_blank>they’re not</a>). Or whether immigrants hurt the economy (they don’t; they are <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/news/american-immigration-council-maps-impact-immigrants-new-data-united-states-and-all-50-states" target=_blank>net-positive contributors</a> to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/13/immigration-economy-jobs-cbo-report/" target=_blank>the economy</a> and <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/02/15/new-hhs-study-finds-nearly-124-billion-positive-fiscal-impact-refugees-and-asylees-on-american-economy-15-year-period.html" target=_blank>federal budgets</a>). Such misunderstandings are one reason I write about immigration: If Americans had better information, they might be more likely to see immigration’s benefits for America’s finances, national security and moral standing in the world.

But even I recognize that’s a tall order. Voters are busy; learning the ins and outs of the immigration system requires bandwidth most people lack. You know what should be an easier lift for those of us in the media, though? Simply telling Americans what Trump’s immigration policies are, and then asking them to evaluate whether those policies match the views Americans already hold.

We already have a good sense of Trump’s likely immigration agenda from recent speeches, previous administration actions and <a href="https://www.niskanencenter.org/project-2025-unveiling-the-far-rights-plan-to-demolish-immigration-in-a-second-trump-term/" target="_blank">Project 2025</a> documents (co-written by Trump aides and widely viewed as the policy playbook for a second Trump term). On lots of major policies, polling is not in his favor. For example:

1. Terminating legal status for so-called dreamers.

Polling shows that <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/21/dreamers-immigration-texas-undocumented/" target=_blank>most Americans</a> — even <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/09/08/republicans-and-democrats-have-different-top-priorities-for-u-s-immigration-policy/ft_2022-09-08_immigration_02/" target=_blank>most Republicans</a> and <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/17/trump-supporters-dreamers-poll-323432" target=_blank>Trump supporters</a>! — believe undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children should be allowed to remain here and apply for permanent legal status.

Trump has sometimes said that he has a “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-trump-fix/trump-says-he-has-great-heart-for-immigrant-dreamers-idUSKCN1BG30D/" target=_blank>great heart</a>” for these particular immigrants, nicknamed “dreamers.” But always pay more attention to what politicians do than to what they say.

As president, Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-intends-to-renew-effort-to-end-daca-protections/2020/06/19/04aea99c-b236-11ea-8f56-63f38c990077_story.html" target=_blank>repeatedly tried</a> to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which temporarily shields dreamers from deportation and allows them to work. His efforts <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-rules-against-trump-administration-attempt-to-end-daca-a-win-for-undocumented-immigrants-brought-to-us-as-children/2020/06/18/4f0b6c74-b163-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html" target=_blank>were stopped</a> by the Supreme Court — before his final high-court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, was confirmed. DACA is expected to <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/federal-judge-declares-daca-illegal-again-issue-likely-to-be-decided-by-supreme-court" target=_blank>return to the Supreme Court</a> soon.

In the meantime, Trump in a second term would <a href="https://www.niskanencenter.org/project-2025-unveiling-the-far-rights-plan-to-demolish-immigration-in-a-second-trump-term/" target="_blank">effectively end the program administratively</a>, by prohibiting government employees from reviewing and processing renewal applications, according to Project 2025.

The Trump administration program systematically took asylum-seeking children from their parents, with no tracking process that would allow them to be reunited. The policy was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/laura-bush-separating-children-from-their-parents-at-the-border-breaks-my-heart/2018/06/17/f2df517a-7287-11e8-9780-b1dd6a09b549_story.html" target="_blank">widely condemned</a>, even by members of his own party.

In fact, it was historically unpopular, faring worse in polls than any major bill of the past 30 years, as George Washington University professor Chris Warshaw <a href="https://twitter.com/cwarshaw/status/1008760033218359296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1008760033218359296%7Ctwgr%5Ebf78e606aa134aafa27cb32e93caa73f4371cf79%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2Fpolicy-and-politics%2F2018%2F6%2F18%2F17475740%2Ffamily-separation-poll-polling-border-trump-children-immigrant-families-parents" target="_blank">has shown</a>.

Even today, our country has not made all these families whole, and the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/09/29/border-trump-child-separation/" target=_blank>moral stain remains</a>. Nonetheless, Trump has recently <a href="https://www.univision.com/univision-news/politics/donald-trump-exclusive-univision-interview" target=_blank>defended the policy</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-refuses-rule-out-new-migrant-family-separations-allies-are-wary-2023-11-27/" target=_blank>refuses to rule out</a> reviving it.

3. Militarized mass-detention camps.

Trump wants to deploy the military to round up migrants and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/20/trump-mass-deportations-immigration/" target=_blank>place them in detention camps</a> and has publicly pledged to use the <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/21#:~:text=Whenever%20there%20is%20a%20declared,proclamation%20of%20the%20event%2C%20all" target=_blank>Alien Enemies Act</a> for this purpose. This wartime measure, part of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, was previously invoked for mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals during World War II.

<a href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2024-01/Reuters%20Ipsos%20Large%20Sample%20Survey%20%23%201%20January%202024%20Topline.pdf" target=_blank>One recent survey</a> addressed a version of this policy (Agree/disagree: “Illegal immigrants should be arrested and put in detention camps while awaiting deportation hearings”). Respondents were divided, with neither “agree” nor “disagree” claiming a majority. This question wording left out some important details of the design, so perhaps more specific language would be useful in assessing levels of support (or moral revulsion).

Many Americans, including Trump’s own followers, say they have no problem with immigrants per se — just those who come here unlawfully. Indeed, Americans generally have positive views of “legal immigrants,” and most favor making it easier to immigrate (73 percent overall, including 59 percent among Republicans, according to a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-majorities-support-policies-strengthen-border-make-easier-immigrate-us" target=_blank>Fox News poll</a>). A recent <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/02/15/how-americans-view-the-situation-at-the-u-s-mexico-border-its-causes-and-consequences/pp_2024-2-15_us-mexico-border_0-4/" target=_blank>Pew Research Center poll</a> likewise found most Americans believe that creating more opportunities to legally immigrate would improve the border situation.

Yet as president, Trump did much more to slash legal immigration than illegal immigration. He built his <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/10/29/trump-immigration-daca-family-separation/" target="_blank">border wall out of paperwork</a>, blocking would-be immigrants from receiving visas and legal work permits. Further, the Project 2025 framework lays out additional ways he would restrict legal immigration. For example, he would dismantle the program that allows <a href="https://www.niskanencenter.org/project-2025-unveiling-the-far-rights-plan-to-demolish-immigration-in-a-second-trump-term/" target="_blank">seasonal agricultural workers</a> to come here on visas.

One might reasonably ask how Biden’s policies compare, since the public clearly dislikes how things are going now. It’s worth noting that Biden has indeed created new legal pathways for immigrants to arrive here with permission, after a security and health screening. (Republican politicians <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2024/03/08/biden-migrants-parole-court-ruling/" target=_blank>sued to block his efforts</a>.) And whatever the narrative about Biden’s supposed “open borders,” in fiscal 2022, the number of noncitizen <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/ohss/topics/immigration/yearbook/2022" target=_blank>removals, returns and expulsions</a> hit its highest level in two decades.

As for what’s left on Biden’s immigration agenda? Well, most items on his to-do list (such as revamping the asylum system) require action from Congress. Once upon a time, Trump wanted Congress to pass tough border legislation, too — until he decided he opposed it instead.

Weidenbaum Center Award for Evidence-Based Journalism, 2010

Gerald Loeb Award, Finalist, 2011

Gerald Loeb Award, Finalist, 2012

Gerald Loeb Award, Finalist, 2018

Gerald Loeb Award, Finalist, 2019

Gerald Loeb Award, Finalist, 2020

Gerald Loeb Award, Finalist, 2021

Online Journalism Award, 2021

Princeton University

Catherine Rampell is an opinion columnist at The Washington Post. She frequently covers economics, public policy, immigration and politics, with a special emphasis on data-driven journalism. Before joining The Post, she wrote about economics and theater for the New York Times. 

Catherine Rampell

washpost

Trump polls well on immigration, but his policies don’t

the-washington-post

Editorials

Columns

Guest opinions

Cartoons

Submit a guest opinion

Today's Opinions newsletter

Opinions

Sign up for Democracy, Refreshed, a newsletter series on how to renovate the republic.

Opinion Columns

Opinion Columnists

Sign up for the Prompt 2024 newsletter for opinions on the biggest questions in politics

Washington Post Opinions

The Washington Post Opinions section features opinion articles, op-eds, editorials by the Editorial Board, global opinions and letters to the editor on the issues of the day. Offerings include columns by Washington Post opinion writers, political cartoons by editorial cartoonists Ann Telnaes and Michael de Adder and podcasts by Jonathan Capehart.