Washington D.C., July 12, 2025 – A remarkable shift in American public opinion on immigration is underway, according to the latest Gallup survey released this Friday. A record-high 79% of U.S. adults now believe immigration is a “good thing” for the nation, a significant 15-percentage-point increase from just a year ago, when this figure stood at 64%. Simultaneously, the percentage of those viewing immigration as “bad” has nearly halved, dropping from 32% in 2024 to a mere 17% today.
This surge in positive sentiment extends across the political spectrum, with a notable bump among GOP voters and, to a lesser extent, independents. Democrats, who already largely favored immigration, have seen their support increase slightly, now hovering around 91%. This broad consensus reflects a growing recognition of immigrants’ contributions to the fabric of American society.
Furthermore, the desire to decrease the number of migrants entering the U.S. has plummeted. Only 30% of Americans now advocate for reduced immigration, a dramatic 25-point decrease from 55% in the 2024 survey. This marks a significant return to the more pro-immigrant views observed prior to the recent surge in border crossings. The drop in illegal border crossings this year, as reported by CBP, and declining support for hard-line enforcement measures like a border wall and mass deportations, likely contribute to this softened stance. Indeed, support for pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants has also risen, even among Republicans.
However, beneath the surface of this newfound unity, a complex dynamic persists. While the public narrative champions diversity, equal opportunity, and national interest as motivations for supporting immigration, there are underlying economic forces at play. For some, the push for increased immigration, or at least a more welcoming stance, is driven by a desire to secure a steady supply of low-wage labor. The U.S. faces an aging population and a tightening labor market, with an estimated 1.7 million retirements annually, creating a significant demand for workers. Immigration, particularly of less-educated individuals, has been shown to be disinflationary, potentially easing wage pressures and bolstering supply in sectors heavily reliant on such labor.
This underlying need for a low-wage workforce, while contributing to economic growth and mitigating inflation, raises critical questions about the true integration and empowerment of immigrant communities. If the primary driver for “pro-immigration” policies is ultimately the acquisition of exploitable labor, then the promise of equal opportunity and a better life for immigrants risks remaining an unfulfilled ideal. As the nation embraces a more favorable view of immigration, the challenge lies in ensuring that this evolving consensus translates into policies that genuinely uplift immigrants, rather than simply harnessing their labor for short-term economic gains. The current landscape, with its apparent shift towards acceptance, masks a deeper tension that will define the future of immigration in America.
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