Declining Support for Trump’s Immigration Policies Among Religious Groups
Support for President Donald Trump’s immigration policies has significantly waned across various religious demographics over the past year, particularly among white non-evangelicals and mainline Protestants, as revealed in a new study by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).
Survey Findings: A Shift in Approval Ratings
A PRRI survey conducted in February, which included responses from 5,479 adults and was released on March 26, indicates that the majority approval for Trump’s immigration policies is now limited to two groups: white evangelicals and white Catholics. However, even within these demographics, approval has decreased; support among white evangelicals dropped from 78% to 69%, while white Catholic approval fell from 63% to 53%.
Notable Decline Among Non-Evangelical Protestants
The most significant decline was observed among white non-evangelical Protestants, whose approval ratings for Trump’s immigration policies fell nearly 20 percentage points from 64% to 46%. This group, which primarily consists of white mainline Protestants, is projected to represent about 13% of the U.S. population by 2024, similar to the percentage of white evangelicals.
Clergy Opposition and Public Protest
The decline among white non-evangelicals aligns with a year of vocal opposition from mainline Protestant leaders against Trump’s aggressive deportation tactics. This resistance intensified on the first day of Trump’s second term when the Rev. Marian Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Washington, delivered a sermon urging compassion for immigrants. In the subsequent months, numerous Christian denominations have initiated legal challenges to various aspects of the President’s policies, particularly regarding the elimination of protections for “sensitive places” such as schools and churches.
Protests Intensify Amid Ongoing Tensions
Clergy members have actively participated in protests against the government’s actions. One incident that gained media attention involved a Presbyterian pastor who was shot in the head with a pepper ball while praying outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. Such dramatic demonstrations have led to arrests, with many individuals engaging in nonviolent resistance training to confront Department of Homeland Security practices, despite governmental mockery on social media platforms.
Disparate Views on Immigration Policies
The survey also highlights a decline in approval among other religious groups. Jewish Americans’ support fell from 39% to 30%, while Hispanic Protestants dropped from 34% to 23%, Hispanic Catholics from 29% to 19%, and black Protestants from 29% to 15%. Even among religiously unaffiliated individuals, approval rates for Trump’s immigration policies diminished from 35% to 21%.
Limited Support for Trump’s Immigration Tactics
President Trump’s specific immigration initiatives have struggled to secure majority backing. While white evangelicals showed the most support (44%) for allowing federal agents to conduct surveillance in hospitals and schools, overall disapproval remained high across religious groups. Furthermore, only white evangelicals (63%) and white Catholics (55%) supported the idea of detaining illegal immigrants in facilities described as “concentration camps” during deportation processes.
Underlying Ideological Factors
The study underscores potential ideological explanations for the sustained support among white evangelicals. Notably, 60% of white evangelicals endorse the Great Replacement Theory, which posits that immigrants threaten to displace American cultural and ethnic identities. A smaller percentage of other groups, including 47% of white Catholics and 25% of black Protestants, echoed this sentiment. Additionally, the findings suggest a correlation between support for Christian nationalism and approval of Trump’s immigration policies, with significant majorities among adherents expressing backing for the president’s approach.
Contradictions in Support from Aligned Groups
Interestingly, despite his strong backing from Hispanic Protestants in past elections, this group now largely opposes Trump’s immigration strategies. Although they show considerable support for Christian nationalism, less than 25% of Hispanic Protestants approve of his handling of immigration policy, highlighting a troubling disconnect between political alignment and policy approval.
