Americans are optimistic about President-elect Donald Trump taking office in about two weeks, according to a new poll.
Gallup released the results of a new survey showing that a majority of Americans expect the incoming Trump administration to address a series of problems the nation is facing: Especially immigration.
Expectations are highest that Trump will control illegal immigration, which 68% of U.S. adults predict he’ll do. Smaller majorities believe he will reduce unemployment, keep the country safe from terrorism, improve the economy, keep the country out of war, cut people’s taxes or reduce the crime rate.
Conversely, majorities of Americans do not think Trump will heal political divisions in the country, improve the quality of the environment, improve the healthcare system, improve race relations, improve education, substantially reduce the federal budget deficit, improve conditions for minorities and the poor, or reduce the prices of groceries and other items.
The public is less clear in its outlook for Trump’s presidency on two issues -- improving the way the federal government works and increasing respect for the U.S. abroad. About half believe he will -- or he won’t -- accomplish either goal.
These results are from a Dec. 2-18 Gallup Poll in which 51% of Americans, slightly more than in December 2016, said they approve of the way Trump is handling the presidential transition.
While opinions on other issues might be mixed, it is clear that the public believes Trump will address the ongoing border crisis, an issue that the Biden administration has proven unable or unwilling to fix.
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Immigration was a centerpoint of Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns. During his first term in office, he took a series of steps to curtail illegal immigration while deporting migrants who committed additional crimes while residing in the country.
This time around, Trump has promised to carry out mass deportations to decrease the number of individuals living in the country illegally. Former ICE Director Tom Homan, who Trump tapped to be his border czar, has already been making the rounds on media to lay out the incoming administration’s plans.
During a recent media appearance, Homan addressed the prospect of migrants rushing to the southern border hoping to gain entry into the U.S. before Trump takes office. “Do not sell everything you own to give it to the criminal cartels to be smuggled into the United States because you’re not going to stay,” he said.
He further urged migrants to “Stay in your homeland” and that “Crossing into this country illegally is very dangerous.”
Homan indicated that the Trump administration would end Biden’s catch-and-release policy. The president-elect has floated the idea of housing illegal immigrants in militarized detention camps as they await deportation instead of simply allowing them to reside within the country.
The Mexican government has also cautioned its citizens against attempting to cross the border illegally through an app, which notifies family members and consulates when users suspect ICE activity. Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente characterized the app as a “panic button,” noting, “In case you find yourself in a situation where detention is imminent, you push the alert button, and that sends a signal to the nearest consulate.”
Over two dozen Republican governors have promised to support the president-elect’s immigration plans.
While I don’t expect the level of mass deportations that the incoming administration has promised, it is clear that Trump is far more willing to deal with immigration than Biden ever was. The outgoing administration showed on several occasions that it did not care how the border crisis was affecting everyday Americans and placing undue burdens on border towns and major cities like Chicago and New York City.
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