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- Gallup poll shows nearly 70% of Americans believe Trump will control illegal immigration in his second term.
- Utah leaders support Trump's immigration stance, with Gov. Cox pledging state assistance in deportations.
- Respondents are less optimistic about Trump's ability to heal political divisions or reduce the deficit.
WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans think President-elect Donald Trump's second administration will control illegal immigration, reduce unemployment, boost the economy and keep the U.S. out of war, according to a Gallup poll conducted last month.
Respondents were less optimistic about Trump's ability to substantially reduce the federal budget deficit, improve the nation's health care system and heal the political divide in the country — with only a third of respondents saying they think the incoming president will be successful in healing divisions.
Gallup conducted the survey on Trump's transition team between Dec. 2-18, and asked respondents: "Regardless of which presidential candidate you preferred, do you think the second Trump administration will or will not be able to do each of the following?" The question asked about 17 policies, ranging from economy, crime, immigration, foreign policy, federal spending and education.
Nearly 70% of respondents said they think Trump will succeed in controlling illegal immigration, which is unsurprising given immigration's central role in all three of Trump's presidential campaigns. It's also an issue that Utah leaders have long called for action on — with several Republican politicians criticizing President Joe Biden as weak on immigration and looking forward to a harsher stance from a second Trump term.
Trump ran for office in 2016 with the promise of building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, and focused his 2024 message on calls for mass deportations of undocumented migrants living in the U.S. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has pledged the state will help the federal government deport undocumented migrants who have committed crimes. He told reporters last month he wants to focus on migrants who have criminal records beyond crossing the border without documentation.
"If you commit crimes — I don't care if they're violent or nonviolent — yes, you should not be here," Cox said. "You shouldn't have been here in the first place, but you definitely should not be here."
The governor blamed Vice President Kamala Harris' loss to Trump on the current administration's handling of the border and immigration.
"This is something that should have been happening," Cox said of deportations of undocumented migrants. "This is something that the Obama administration did, it's something the Bush administration did, it's something the Trump administration did and it's something that the Biden administration stopped doing, and that's why they lost. And thank goodness that we can actually get back to the way things are supposed to happen in this country."
Gallup asked respondents the same questions after Trump's first win in 2016 and noted a significant increase in the percentage of Americans who think the president-elect will keep the U.S. out of war — 55%; compared with eight years ago — 38%. A clear majority of Americans also expect Trump to bring down the unemployment rate — which was 4.5% in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — to keep the U.S. safe from terrorism and improve the economy.
Respondents were nearly evenly split on whether they think Trump will reduce crime, increase respect for the U.S. abroad, improve government functioning and reduce the prices of groceries. Only 45% said they think Trump will significantly reduce the federal budget deficit.
Minorities of those polled said they think Trump will improve education, race relations and the health care system in the U.S. About a third believe he will improve the environment and heal political divisions.
