More than half of American registered voters say they prefer President Donald Trump's approach to border security and immigration over that of his predecessor, according to a new national survey released Feb. 7, 2026.
The Napolitan News Service poll, conducted by pollster Scott Rasmussen on Feb. 4-5, found that 52% of 1,000 registered voters favored Trump's handling of immigration, compared with 33% who preferred former President Joe Biden's, while 15% remained unsure — with the survey carrying a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
According to Just the News, the results have fueled ongoing debate about which party holds the stronger position on immigration, particularly in the wake of two separate fatal shootings involving federal agents and individuals protesting deportation operations in Minneapolis.
Rasmussen, who oversaw the survey, acknowledged that recent events in Minneapolis gave Democrats a potential opening. The polling data, however, tells a more complicated story for the opposition party.
"Democrats think they have a winning issue by attacking ICE and keeping the center of attention on what happened in Minneapolis. And on one level, they have a point. People don't like the tactics they saw," Rasmussen said.
That concession is notable coming from a seasoned pollster. Americans across the political spectrum can have legitimate concerns about enforcement methods without abandoning their broader support for strong border policy.
Rasmussen was quick to identify the fundamental problem facing Democrats who try to build a strategy around opposition to ICE alone.
"The challenge though, for the Democrats, is you can't talk about ICE without talking about the larger issues of immigration and border security. And on that, Republicans still have a very significant advantage," he said. That observation captures something the progressive wing of the Democratic Party often overlooks. Focusing narrowly on enforcement incidents risks reminding voters of the broader immigration framework — one where the public has consistently preferred a tougher posture.
The partisan breakdown underscores how deeply entrenched immigration views have become. Among Republicans surveyed, 90% said Trump's approach was superior. On the other side, 63% of Democrats expressed a preference for Biden's handling of the issues.
Those numbers suggest that while each party's base is largely consolidated, the decisive ground lies with independents and undecided voters. The 15% who expressed uncertainty represent a meaningful slice of the electorate that neither party can afford to ignore heading into future elections.
RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. The poll sampled 1,000 registered voters nationally, though the specific methodology — whether conducted online, by telephone, or through another method — was not disclosed in the published findings.
The survey was conducted after two people were shot and killed by federal agents during separate incidents connected to deportation protests in Minneapolis. Those events have drawn significant national scrutiny and prompted the Department of Homeland Security to announce the deployment of body-worn cameras for all field officers operating in the city.
Transparency measures like body cameras represent a reasonable step that responsible conservatives should welcome. Effective enforcement and accountability are not mutually exclusive, and demonstrating both strengthens the case for robust immigration policy rather than weakening it.
Still, the poll's central finding is difficult for Democrats to dismiss. Even after weeks of intense media coverage of the Minneapolis incidents, a clear majority of voters told Rasmussen they preferred the current president's immigration framework. That gap — 52% to 33% — suggests that Americans can hold two ideas simultaneously: concern about specific enforcement tactics and enduring support for border security as a national priority.