Trump's Base Stays Loyal, But Wider Support Slips Over Deportation and Inflation Woes: Poll

President Donald Trump continues to enjoy strong support from his core political base, particularly on immigration, but a new poll shows that approval for his deportation policies is slipping among the broader public.

While many Americans still credit the administration with reducing unlawful border crossings, concern has shifted to how deportations are being carried out — and who is being targeted.

The CBS News/YouGov survey revealed that a growing number of Americans believe the administration is not prioritizing dangerous criminals for deportation and is removing more people than expected. These concerns are driving a notable decline in support for the deportation program, which was backed by a majority earlier in the term but is now viewed negatively by a slim margin.

Approval is now largely concentrated among Republicans and self-identified MAGA supporters.

The use given to detention facilities has also drawn criticism, the poll reveals. A majority of respondents, including many Latinos, believe Latino individuals are being disproportionately targeted, and those who believe so say it's unfair. Trump's approval among the demographic has dropped from 50% at the start of his second term to roughly one-third.

This decline comes despite public perception that the administration's policies have succeeded in curbing unlawful border crossings. The shift in sentiment suggests that dissatisfaction is driven less by border enforcement itself and more by the scale and selectivity of deportation efforts. Half of Americans now say the president is focusing too much on deportations.

These findings align with a recent Gallup poll, which showed record-high support for immigration in general. Nearly 80% of U.S. adults now say immigration is a good thing for the country, up sharply from 64% last year. Support for decreasing immigration has fallen to 30%, while three-quarters of Americans back a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Despite these shifts, the CBS News poll show that Trump's core supporters remain firm, as they continue to back his approach to immigration and rank it as a key issue when evaluating his presidency.

However, for the broader electorate, other concerns are rising. Nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling inflation — the highest disapproval on the issue so far — and 70% say the administration isn't doing enough to lower prices.

Trump's overall approval rating has continued its gradual decline, now resting in the low 40s, underscoring a widening gap between his base and the rest of the country.