Washington — Two-thirds of California voters disapprove of President Trump’s immigration policies and a majority believe the policies discriminate against Latinos, according to a new poll.
Nearly half of voters said they were worried that they, a family member or close friend could be detained because of Trump’s immigration policies.
The findings of a UC Berkeley Institute of Government Studies poll released Wednesday show that most Californians have not changed their views about their attitudes toward immigration since the president returned to office. A similar poll last August showed strong disapproval of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.
The poll conducted for the Los Angeles Times showed the usual divide along party lines when voters were asked whether they trust the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whether agents should wear masks while on duty, and whether Latinos are being discriminated against.
“This shows that a large number of voters view ICE as a violation of the individual rights of the undocumented, as well as potentially a broader infringement on the rights of citizens,” said G. Christina Mora, co-director of the institute and a sociology professor at UC Berkeley who studies race and immigration.
“Latino voters are also particularly concerned that racism is motivating current immigration practices,” he said, which is likely linked to the Supreme Court’s approval of immigration agents detaining people based on their perceived race, ethnicity, language or occupation.
Overall disapproval among voters of Trump’s immigration policies — 64% — was down slightly from the August survey, in which 69% of respondents said they disapprove of the way immigration enforcement is handled in California.
It appears Republicans are now more approving of immigration policies, with 86% saying they approve of Trump’s immigration policies – up from 79% approval of enforcement in California last August.
Mora said the bias toward the Trump administration among California Republicans may be due, in part, to the framing of the question, which asked about “President Trump’s immigration policies.”
Whenever Trump’s name is included, Republicans are more likely to agree with him, he said. The same effect is seen when asked about other issues such as the economy.
Another factor could be timing, Mora said. Last summer, federal agents conducted sweeping raids in Los Angeles before targeting other cities such as Chicago and Minneapolis.
Now that the administration has moved away from some of the tactics that have resulted in increased violence, Republicans are “coming to terms” with the administration again, he said.
“I guess it was shocking,” Mora said of the immigration raids last summer. “Things have returned to normal because the stress is elsewhere.”
Trying to defuse tensions after federal agents shot and killed two protesters in Minneapolis, the president asked his border adviser Tom Homan to take control of the immigration enforcement operation there.
Republican strategist Ford O’Connell said that’s why voters are more supportive.
“It’s because of Tom Homan being in charge and taking a very light stance publicly and appearing reasonable to the average voter that you’re seeing this change,” he said.
But Democratic strategist Maria Cardona said that’s wishful thinking and that ICE’s approach hasn’t substantially changed.
“It only went down five points,” he said, referring to rejection of Trump’s policies. “It’s not that the American people are in favor of the administration – it’s that they’re not watching American citizens being murdered on their screens every day.”
Strong divisions were seen among Republicans on one question: Should immigration agents be allowed to enter the homes of suspected undocumented immigrants without a search warrant approved by a judge?
Among California Republicans, 45% said no, 38% said yes, and 17% said they had no opinion.
O’Connell said this is because Republicans place great importance on civil liberties, especially when it comes to property.
Republicans were in favor of a different policy that would allow ICE agents to wear masks while on duty. While 91% of Democrats opposed the policy, 68% of Republicans supported it.
In an August survey, 45% of Republicans said federal agents should be required to show clear identification when doing their jobs. This desire for recognition does not extend to being fully recognized by face.
O’Connell said Republicans understand the agents’ growing concern.
“The administration wants to find a happy medium there, whether it’s nameplates or badge numbers,” he said. “There’s wiggle room.”
Nearly 7 in 10 respondents said they want state and local officials to intervene when they see unlawful detention or use of excessive force by federal immigration agents.
Voters were also asked about their level of concern that they, a family member, or a close friend could be detained because of Trump’s immigration policies. While 85% of Republicans said they were not very or not at all concerned, 63% of Democrats said they were somewhat or very concerned.
Overall, nearly half the respondents, 45%, said they were somewhat or very concerned. Among racial and ethnic groups, 62% of Latino voters, 46% of Black voters and 43% of Asian or Pacific Islander voters said they were somewhat or very concerned.
“The Latino community has always wanted to think the best of this country, and they still do,” Cardona said. “Our positivity, our optimism, our hope in a better future is second to none. I think that’s what you’re seeing in those numbers, with our community feeling completely attacked.”
Mora said the high anxiety among Black residents is notable because, while most Black Californians are not immigrants themselves, Los Angeles has the largest concentration of Blaxicans — children of one Black parent and one Latino parent.
In addition to intermarriage, black residents in California are also more likely to have immigrant friends or neighbors, he said.
O’Connell took a different approach: “I don’t think we can get anything from this other than how one party focuses more on identity politics than the other.”
The Institute of Government Studies poll was completed online in English and Spanish from March 9 to 15 by 5,109 registered voters in California.
