What the Polls Reveal -– and the Media Conceal

by Brian C. Joondeph

Polling tells a different story from common media coverage.

If one relied solely on corporate media coverage, one might conclude that President Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts are wildly unpopular, resisted by an outraged public, and politically suicidal for Republicans.

Night after night, TV viewers see images of angry protesters, breathless commentary about “authoritarian crackdowns,” the familiar ‘Trump is Hitler/Nazi/fascist’ trope, and sympathetic portrayals of activists blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The media narrative is clear: Americans are revolting against deportations.

But polling tells a very different story.

A recent Rasmussen Reports survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans support President Trump’s efforts to locate and deport illegal immigrants. That includes a majority of independents, more than a third of Democrats, and almost two-thirds of Hispanic respondents

Support spans all age groups. Black and White voters show nearly identical approval ratings. This isn’t fringe sentiment; it’s mainstream opinion. Yet, this reality is almost entirely missing from media coverage.

The disconnect matters because it reveals how much narrative has replaced analysis in today’s political journalism. Protests are viewed as substitutes for public opinion, while polling – especially when it contradicts preferred stories – is ignored, downplayed, or dismissed.

Regarding immigration, the media’s main belief is that enforcement equals cruelty, and opposition equals compassion. They often claimed that Trump put kids in cages, ignoring that the practice existed before Trump and expanded during Obama. They also called Barack Obama the “deporter in chief,” deporting more illegal aliens than Trump.

But voters are not nearly so simplistic. The Rasmussen data suggest Americans still believe in something unfashionable in elite ruling class circles: laws should be enforced, and national borders should mean something.

Independent voters, who tend to decide elections in competitive districts, approve of enforcement efforts. Hispanic voters, who are often portrayed as uniformly opposed to deportations, support them at surprisingly high levels. Even among Democrats, whose leadership has largely embraced near-open borders, more than a third approve of Trump’s approach. These figures do not reflect a public in revolt.

The reason is simple. Voters see a clear difference between immigration and illegal immigration. They realize that a country that can’t or won’t enforce its laws stops being a true nation.

Open borders combined with an expansive welfare state are a recipe for long-term cultural and societal collapse. That insight, absent from cable news panels, remains alive among ordinary Americans.

None of this means Trump or Republicans are invulnerable. Other polls reinforce that point. A January 2026 Wall Street Journal survey shows widespread dissatisfaction with the economy, with many voters blaming the Trump administration despite strong headline economic indicators.

Inflation and cost-of-living pressures remain high, and Republicans’ usual lead on economic management has diminished. Democrats now hold a slight advantage in generic congressional ballot testing.

But once again, polling reveals nuances the media prefers to ignore.

Voters do not render a single up-or-down verdict on a president. They judge issues individually. Americans can back immigration enforcement while criticizing economic results.

They can support deportations while worrying about grocery prices. This ability to hold multiple views at once confuses pundits, who see the world in simple binaries, but it reflects how real voters think.

Another poll adds more context. A January CBS News/YouGov survey shows increasing concern about ICE’s tactics, with many respondents saying enforcement feels too harsh or makes communities less safe. Unsurprisingly, this poll received enthusiastic coverage, seen as evidence that Trump’s immigration policy is failing due to public backlash.

That conclusion is false.