(NewsNation) — Half of all Americans say they favor the mass deportation of people who are illegally in the U.S. Two-thirds say illegal immigration is a real crisis, not just a political hot button.
The Harris Poll commissioned by Axios Vibes shows that an overwhelming percentage of Republicans, 68%, believe that mass deportations should be on the table. 42% of Democrats and 46% of independents agree.
Broken down by race, 56% of Whites would support mass deportations, while 45% of Latinos and 40% of Blacks agree.
And by age, 60% of Baby Boomers, 54% of Gen X, 48% of Millennials and 35% of Gen Z answered “yes” to the mass deportations question.
“I was surprised at the public support for large-scale deportations,” said Mark Penn, chairman of The Harris Poll told Axios.
“I think they’re just sending a message to politicians: ‘Get this under control.’ “
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to launch “the largest domestic deportation in American history” if he’s returned to the presidency.
President Joe Biden’s administration has been dealing with a record influx of migrants at the southern border and endorsed a bipartisan border security bill. That measure failed after Trump told Republicans to oppose it.
Answering a related question, 30% of Democrats and 46% of Republicans said they would favor repealing the 14th Amendment that guarantees birthright citizenship.
The Harris Poll surveyed 6,251 Americans in March and April.