Joe Biden's open borders policies caused such a huge backlash that illegal immigration became a top issue of the 2024 presidential campaign, and one that Trump had a huge advantage on. Biden and Kamala both tried to pivot on the issue and pretend to be border hawks, but it didn’t work. Democrats should have seen this as a sign they needed to change their position on illegal immigration. Instead, they made their latest cause defending an MS-13 gang member and demanding his return to the United States after being deported.
Make no mistake about it, Democrats have grossly miscalculated on this issue, and it’s going to cost them big time. In fact, Trump’s handling of immigration is earning him high marks with voters—higher than ever before—and the numbers reveal just how badly Democrats miscalculated.
Even CNN is acknowledging the shift. During a segment on Trump’s rising approval, CNN analyst Harry Enten explained why Trump has made immigration a central focus. “Why is Trump focusing on immigration?” Enten asked. “Let me just tell you, this is where Trump wants to focus, pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top.”
The reason? His numbers are strong—and getting stronger. Back in his first term, Trump’s net approval rating on immigration was underwater by 12 points. Today, as president in 2025, he’s in positive territory. “He’s actually above water,” Enten said. “This is one of his strongest issues at plus one points.” More importantly, his numbers on immigration have held steady, showing consistent voter confidence in his policies.
“This is an area where Donald Trump wants to focus,” Enten added, “because the bottom line is, this is an area in which the American people, at least the bare majority of them, seem to like what he’s doing.”
The contrast with Joe Biden’s presidency couldn’t be starker. Enten pointed to polling from December—Biden’s final full month in office—where 62% of Americans said the country was on the wrong track on immigration. Only 14% thought it was on the right one.
Fast-forward to today, and it’s a whole new ball game.
According to Enten, “45% say we’re on the right track compared to 42% who say we’re on the wrong track." That’s a complete reversal—and it’s taken place under Trump. “Americans like where we’re going on immigration policy under Donald Trump,” Enten said. “Which is very different from where we were under Joe Biden.”
Related: Need Another Reason for Outrage Over Van Hollen's El Salvador Trip? Here It Is.
And that brings us back to Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Democrats thought they had found a cudgel against Trump’s deportation policies by going to bat for a man connected to the notoriously violent MS-13 gang. They pushed the narrative he was a “Maryland father” and framed the deportation as heartless and inhumane—ignoring the fact that courts had identified Abrego Garcia as a gang member and that his own wife had accused him of domestic abuse.
Oops.
Enten pointed to one of the most revealing shifts: Americans’ views on mass deportation. “Back in 2016, just 38% of voters wanted the government to try to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants,” he said. “Compare it to where we are in 2025—56%, the majority.”
Immigration is "where Trump wants the focus... Pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top."
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) April 17, 2025
-His net approval on immigration is positive
-A plurality say under Trump immigration policy is on the right track (unlike under Biden)
-Most want all undocumented immigrants deported pic.twitter.com/5RbgJPjW7D
That shift—18 points in less than a decade—isn’t subtle. It shows a growing alignment between the American electorate and President Trump’s hardline approach to border security and immigration enforcement. And it helps explain why Trump’s approval on immigration is now in the black, unlike during his first term.
By turning a deportation case into a media spectacle, Democrats didn’t just fail to dent Trump’s momentum—they reminded Americans exactly why they voted for Trump in the first place.
