As Townhall has been covering throughout the weekend and the start of this week, Los Angeles has descended into chaos over anti-ICE, pro-illegal immigration, and even pro-terrorist riots, with California Democrats failing to help quell the violence. Rather, it's thanks to President Donald Trump and his administration that there have been attempts to restore order, such as sending in the National Guard and Marines, though California has been resisting this as well, such as with lawsuits and with Gov. Gavin Newsom even daring Tom Homan to arrest him. In the midst of such chaos, however, it's worth reminding that Trump continues to improve in the polls, especially and including on immigration.
Although the poll was conducted before the riots, it was still telling that a CBS News poll highlighting support for Trump's deportation policies was released on Sunday, as Leah covered. The poll shows that 54 percent of Americans support Trump's program to deport illegal immigrants in the United States, with this being yet another issue for Trump where Republicans strongly support him on.
The program not only enjoys the support of 93 percent of Republicans and 89 percent of conservatives, but also 60 percent of male respondents, 50 percent of those under 30, 52 percent of those 30-44, 55 percent of those 45-64, 59 percent of those 59 or older, 53 percent of moderates, 62 percent of white respondents, 70 percent of those white respondents with no college degree, and 50 percent of those white respondents with a 4-year college degree or more.
Views of the Trump administration's deportation program headed into this weekend with positive net approval from Americans, including continued strong backing from the Republican base.
— CBS News Poll (@CBSNewsPoll) June 8, 2025
(The survey was completed just prior to Saturday's protests and events in Los Angeles.)… pic.twitter.com/CSyRGHa0eW
Even better for Trump on this question is that a majority of respondents also realize who is being prioritized for ICE arrests and deportations, that it's illegal immigrant criminals, as was the case in Los Angeles over the weekend. By 53-47 percent, respondents acknowledged that the administration is prioritizing "dangerous criminals" as opposed to those who "aren't dangerous criminals." Even 24 percent of Democrats acknowledged as much.
A plurality, at 42 percent, say Trump's deportation efforts is making people in the United States "safer." Other than how those under 30 were evenly split, liberals (at 62 percent) and Democrats (at 57 percent), were the only demographics where more of these respondents claimed the deportation efforts made people "less safe."
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In addition to the headline focusing on this part of the poll's findings, "Trump's deportation program nets positive approval amid contrasting views over its scope, CBS News poll finds," the write-up from CBS News also early on mentioned this. "A slight majority feel the administration's deportation efforts are prioritizing people they believe are dangerous criminals. Those who say this are very supportive of the program, and feel the program is making people in the U.S. safer," the write-up summarized.
The last question of the poll also found that by 51-49 percent, respondents say they favor "immigration authorities searching your community for people who they believe are in the U.S. illegally." Not only did 87 percent of Republicans say so, but so did 21 percent of Democrats.
The poll also found that by 53-47 percent, Americans prefer the Republican Party to the Democratic Party on immigration. This is consistent with other polls showing such a lead for Republicans on this top issue. Even 11 percent of Democrats said they trusted the Republican Party more.
The poll was conducted June 4-6 with 2,428 adults and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
During CBS News' "Face the Nation," the same day that the poll was released, moderator Margaret Brennan confronted Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) about the approval numbers on the deportation program. Klobuchar responded with something of a nonanswer by bringing up another poll finding.
"I'm wondering how much you worry that this puts Democrats on the back foot. That you are put in the position of defending someone like Abrego Garcia, who was just brought back to the United States from El Salvador and is now being charged by the Justice Department on these claims that he was involved somehow in human trafficking," Brennan brought up, going on to refer to Kilmar Abrego Garcia as "a Maryland man."
Despite Democrats' responses to the violence and unrest this weekend, Klobuchar claimed that "Democrats believe in public safety." She even added that, "as a former prosecutor, I spent a lot of my life work working with law enforcement. And that means you don't inflame things and make it worse. And that is that you make sure that violent criminals aren't in our midst."
Klobuchar then went on to bring up how respondents believe in due process for those deported.
When it comes to an answer to this question about if the riots will help Trump, Cygnal's Brent Buchanan offered something of a response in his daily takes for Monday. Citing a piece from ABC News, "National Guard troops arrive in Los Angeles after immigration protests turn violent," Buchanan pointed to how this issue could come back in issue of importance. "Currently, nearly all concern with illegal immigration as a top issue is driven by older, high-propensity GOP voters. With the fires raging in LA because of immigration raids - and once the BBB passes - get ready for illegal immigration to skyrocket again as a top concern," he offered.
As we covered last week, before the unrest in Los Angeles over ICE began, Buchanan also shared in previous daily takes how the arrest of suspected terrorist Mohamed Soliman means Trump can go harder on immigration.
The CBS News poll gains further significance in that CNN confronted LA Mayor Karen Bass about them at the end of an interview that did her no favors. She offered even more of a nonanswer than Klobuchar did when asked "are Democrats out of touch on this issue?"
🚨CNN confronts LA Mayor Karen Bass with polling showing OVERWHELMING support for President Trump's deportation agenda:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 9, 2025
"Are Democrats out of touch on this issue?"
BASS: "I think if you did the polling in Los Angeles, I'm not sure it would be that way. We are a city of… pic.twitter.com/FhHcaNx7cZ
That Monday interview took place the same day as CNN's Harry Enten also spoke to immigration numbers for Democrats.
"It's gone up like a rocket," Enten said about Trump's approval ratings on immigration, as he even gestured for emphasis. While it was -21 points in June 2017, it's now at +1 point in the aggregate, though Enten also pointed out some polls have him even better. "There is no issue on which Trump is doing so much better than he was in his first term more than the issue of immigration," Enten pointed out.
The analyst also pointed out that "Trump is begging for a fight on this because he knows what he's doing so far is working with the American electorate."
In talking with John Brennan, as he cited the CBS News poll, Enten stressed how "I think what's so important is that it is [Trump's ] top issue so far," including "on the specifics" when it comes to these poll findings.
Bass and Newsom came up in that conversation as well, as Enten answered Brennan's question about the perception of the two. "The American electorate believe that the Democrats don't have a clue on the issue of immigration," Enten stressed as he showed how multiple polls "all tell the same story" in that "Republicans lead on the issue of immigration," with an Ipsos poll even giving the party a +19 lead.
"No matter what poll you look at, no matter which way you cut it, the American public is with the Republicans, the American public is with Donald Trump, and to a much greater extent than they were in term number one, and it's not just on the broad issue of immigration, it's with the specifics as well, in which the American public is with Donald Trump and the Republicans, and that is why Donald Trump is eager to take on this fight, and eager for those scenes out of Los Angeles," Enten summarized.
'ICE' cold polling numbers for Dems: 🥶
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 9, 2025
Pres. Trump's Net Approval Rating on Immigration:
June 2017: -21%
June 2025: +1% 🚀📈
The Left's rioting is HURTING THEM and HELPING TRUMP! pic.twitter.com/rfLbmGE8vg
Enten actually went over immigration poll numbers again on Tuesday, including with how foreign-born voters have actually shifted to the right on illegal immigration. Democrats had a lead of +32 points in 2020, and now Republicans have a lead of +8 points for 2024/2025. This is the group that has become "the most hawkish," Enten emphasized.
While Trump may have had a weak vote share previously among immigrant voters, he got up to 47 percent in 2024, Enten also emphasized. "Again, there is no bloc of voters that shifted more to the right from 2020 to 2024 than immigrant voters, and Donald Trump, at least in some surveys, actually won that vote. On average it's about equal." he further explained.
Immigrants registered to vote also have an increasingly net negative rating on immigrants here illegally. "So I think it's so important when we're talking about this debate from a political angle to separate those out who are undocumented immigrants, versus those who are legally, and those who are citizens and those who are voters, because that group of voters has felt increasingly distant from those immigrants who are here illegally," Enten made clear.
"And so again, at least when we're talking about this from a political angle, this is why Donald Trump feels so comfortable, because in fact amongst the group you would think that would be most opposed to this, they've in fact become increasingly favorable not just towards Donald Trump, but towards the Republican point of view on immigration, but becoming distant on those immigrants who are here illegally," he added.
🚨SHOCKING NEW POLL FROM CNN VINDICATES TRUMP ON IMMIGRATION!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 10, 2025
CNN's Harry Enten just broke down the numbers that absolutely DEMOLISH Democrats' narrative on illegal aliens.
The group who's breaking from liberals on this issue?
LEGAL IMMIGRANTS!
"A 40 point shift to the right… pic.twitter.com/y05xyYuoSM
