Which ethnic groups are the most pro-immigration?

A look at public opinion in the US.

Written by Noah Carl.

In 1965, less than 10% of Americans said that immigration should be increased—a figure that remained stable for the next 30 years. Then in the late 1990s, attitudes to immigration began shifting. By 2020, the numbers of Americans who said that immigration should be increased overtook the number who said it should be decreased for the first time ever.

Enter Joe Biden. After his election, the number of illegal border crossings soared and even Democratic mayors began complaining they couldn’t cope with the massive influx. This prompted a dramatic shift in attitudes: in just four years, the number of Americans who said that immigration should be increased plummeted from 34% to 16%, while the number who said it should be decreased jumped from 28% to 55%. Meanwhile, the issue surged to the top of the “most important issues” list.

By 2024, voters were fed up. A major poll taken after the election found that “too many illegal immigrants crossed the border” was one of their top three reasons to vote against Kamala Harris—and this was also true among voters in the crucial swing states.

It’s well known that Democrats, young people and those with graduate degrees are more favourable to immigration. But how is opinion divided along lines of race, religion and ethnic origin?