New UMass Amherst Poll Results Released

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A series of results released by the UMass Amherst Poll shed light on Americans' perspectives on presidential performance, the ongoing Epstein investigation, immigrants' rights, higher education, and concerns over the direction the country is headed. View topline results and crosstabs for the poll. 

Public Approval of Trump Drops 6%

"Six months into his second term as president, Donald Trump looks to be on the ropes with the American public," says Tatishe Nteta, provost professor of political science and director of UMass Amherst Poll. Public approval of Trump's presidency has dropped by six percentage points since April. However, there seems to be little regret from Trump voters. "Only 1% of Trump voters say they regret their vote and would choose differently, 2% say they 'might' choose differently, and 3% say they wish they hadn't voted at all," notes Alexander Theodoridis, associate professor of political science and co-director of the poll. 

Read more about feelings on Trump's performance and the Epstein investigation > 

Broad Support for Constitutional Rights for Legal Immigrants, Dissatisfaction with ICE; Limited Support for Higher Education Policies

According to the newly-released poll results, a strong majority of Americans (69%) support the deportation of undocumented immigrants with criminal records, but only about a third of American support deporting undocumented immigrants who work full time and pay taxes, have no criminal record outside of their immigration status, or those whose children were born in the U.S. Seven-in-ten respondents support constitutional rights for legal immigrants, while the support lessens for undocumented immigrants. "Perhaps unsurprisingly, Democrats and Republicans are deeply divided over whether undocumented immigrants are entitled to basic constitutional rights," says Jesse Rhodes, professor of political science and co-director of the poll. 

Americans also expressed dissatisfaction with ICE's handling of immigration enforcement. "When it comes to immigration enforcement, Americans believe sacred spaces still exist," notes Ray LaRaja, professor of political science and co-director of the poll. Many Americans reject the enforcement of immigration policy in churches, schools, and hospitals, while opinions diverge on venues like homes, businesses, workplaces, parks, and courts. 

Support for the federal administration's higher education policies seems to be waning. "Only 17% of Americans support reducing federal support for scientific research at universities. Just 23% support requiring colleges and universities to consider ideological diversity in hiring and admissions decisions. Twenty-six percent want reductions in federal student loan support, 37% want to prohibit colleges and universities from implementing DEI policies, and only 28% want to make it more difficult for students from other countries to attend school here," says Theodoridis. 

Read more about immigration and higher education > 

Less Than 30% of Americans Say the Country is On the Right Track 

New poll results show that only 29% of Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction. "Since he burst onto the political scene, President Donald Trump has embraced the notion that he is uniquely equipped to restore American greatness and to put the nation back on a prosperous path," says Nteta. "However, six months into his term, Americans are not feeling optimistic about the nation's prospects with close to 6-in-10 declaring that the country is on the wrong track. In what should be disconcerting news to the White House, we find an increasing number of Trump voters, Republicans, and conservatives now agreeing that the nation is 'pretty seriously off on the wrong track' since we last polled in April." Poll results also showed significant dissatisfaction with both Republican and Democratic parties. 

Read more about the direction of the country >