McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A new poll released Wednesday finds registered voters in Texas are split on immigration policies implemented under President Donald Trump.
The poll found 51% approve of Trump’s immigration policies and enforcement actions and 49% disapprove, according to the report, “Texas Trends 2025 Trump Administration Immigration Policies.”
The statewide survey was conducted Sept. 19 through Oct. 1 by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs and the Executive Master of Public Administration program in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University.
The poll found Texans were split down the middle — 50% — on whether they approve or disapprove of the Trump administration’s policy of allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct more raids on workplaces.
When it comes to suspending asylum applications for people seeking to stay in the United States, 58% disapprove, while 42% approve,
Other findings from the poll include:
- 90% of Republicans and 13% of Democrats approve of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration.
- 62% of white Texans, 42% of Latino Texans and 23% of Black Texans approve of Trump immigration policies.
- 90% of Republicans and 24% of Democrats approve of the state’s decision to end the DREAM Act. Of those approving: 60% are white; 50% Latino and 38% Black.
- 46% of Texans think Trump’s immigration policies will lead to a reduction in crime in the state; 25% think it will increase crimes and 29% think it will have no impact.
- 47% of Texans think Trump’s immigration policies will weaken the Texas economy; 41% think it will make it stronger, and 12% say it will have no impact.
- 58% approve of Trump’s deployment of U.S. military to the U.S.-Mexico border, while 42% disapprove.
- 54% approve of state and local law enforcement used to help with immigration enforcement, while 46% disapprove.
- Texans were closely split — 51% approving and 49% disapproving — on whether the Trump administration should increase detention facilities for immigrants who are living in the country illegally and waiting immigration hearings.
“As residents of a border state, Texans are long familiar with immigration as a political and law enforcement issue,” Renée Cross, UH researcher and senior executive director of the Hobby School, said in a statement. “And while a sizeable number of voters disapprove of some of the federal government’s efforts to staunch illegal entry, overall, we found strong support for actions to limit immigration.”
“Men were 13 percentage points more likely than women to approve of President Trump’s immigration policies, at 58% to 45%,” said Michael Adams, director of the Executive Master of Public Administration graduate program at Texas Southern University. “White voters were similarly more likely to approve than Latino or Black voters.”
“Limiting asylum was the least popular of the policies included in the survey,” said Pablo Pinto, director of the Center for Public Policy at the Hobby School. “People may want something done about illegal immigration, but they are perhaps less comfortable with ending the ability of most people from around the world to apply for asylum.”
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.