A new NBC News poll suggests that American voters’ priorities on immigration are changing as the Trump administration continues an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign.
According to NBC News, more voters now say preventing discrimination against immigrants and creating a pathway to U.S. citizenship should be prioritized over securing the border and stopping illegal immigration. NBC described this as a shift from voter attitudes measured during the 2024 election cycle.
The poll was conducted September 11–15, 2026, among 1,000 registered voters, with a margin of error of approximately 3.1 percentage points.
The results come after more than a year of intensified immigration enforcement under President Trump. The administration has expanded immigration arrests and deportation operations while also tightening several areas of legal immigration. At the same time, other recent polling has found substantial public concern about how immigration enforcement is being carried out. For example, a September Fox News poll found that 53% of registered voters believed the administration’s immigration enforcement had gone too far, while 23% said it had not gone far enough and 23% said it was about right.
The NBC poll does not mean that Americans have stopped caring about border security. Instead, it indicates that voters are weighing several immigration priorities at the same time, including border enforcement, treatment of immigrants already living in the United States, and possible opportunities for people without lawful status to obtain legal status or citizenship.
For immigrants and their families, political opinions alone do not change immigration law. Immigration cases continue to be governed by federal statutes, regulations, court decisions and rapidly changing government policies. Anyone who is undocumented, facing removal proceedings, concerned about ICE enforcement, or trying to determine whether there is a legal pathway to remain in the United States should have their individual immigration history reviewed by an experienced attorney.
Shepelsky Law Group represents immigrants in family immigration, asylum, removal defense, VAWA, T visas, employment-based immigration and other immigration matters. Call us todat at Tel: (718)769-6352 or book your consultation directly at www.Shepelskylaw.com to start your legalization journed in the US with our immigration lawyers.
If you have questions about your immigration options or are worried about how recent immigration changes could affect you or your family, contact Shepelsky Law Group to schedule a consultation.