A new AP NORC poll shows only 27% of Americans believe the United States remains a great place for immigrants. The survey also highlights strong support for birthright citizenship and growing concern over immigration enforcement policies.
The latest nationwide survey from the AP NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals a dramatic shift in how Americans perceive the United States as a destination for immigrants. At a moment when immigration enforcement actions continue to expand nationwide and the Supreme Court weighs critical questions surrounding birthright citizenship, public opinion appears increasingly conflicted, cautious, and deeply personal.
According to the May 2026 poll conducted using NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel, only 27% of Americans believe the United States is currently a great place for immigrants. A much larger majority, 61%, say the country once held that distinction but no longer does. Another 10% believe the United States was never a great place for immigrants at all.
The survey findings suggest that immigration enforcement policies are no longer viewed as distant political debates. Instead, they are directly affecting everyday life in communities throughout the country.
Approximately one quarter of respondents said they or someone they know has begun carrying proof of citizenship or immigration status more frequently during the past year. Others reported changing travel plans, avoiding certain public spaces, or altering daily routines because of concerns related to immigration enforcement.
These findings reflect the broader atmosphere of uncertainty that many immigrant families and mixed status households are experiencing. Legal residents, visa holders, and undocumented immigrants alike may feel increased pressure to remain prepared for unexpected encounters with immigration authorities.
For employers, schools, and community organizations, the survey also highlights the growing emotional and logistical burden that immigration enforcement can create within local communities.
One of the most significant aspects of the AP NORC survey involves public attitudes toward birthright citizenship. While a strong majority of Americans continue supporting citizenship for children born in the United States, support shifts depending on the immigration status of the parents.
Overall, 65% of respondents believe citizenship should be granted to all children born on American soil regardless of circumstances. Support is strongest when parents are lawfully present in the country on work visas, with approximately 75% favoring automatic citizenship in those cases.
Support declines somewhat for children born to parents visiting the country on tourist visas, though 58% still favor granting citizenship automatically.
The issue becomes far more divided when discussing children born to undocumented immigrants. Americans are nearly evenly split on whether those children should receive birthright citizenship protections under the Fourteenth Amendment.
These public opinion trends arrive at a critical moment for constitutional immigration law. The Supreme Court is currently considering potential limits on birthright citizenship, a legal doctrine that has shaped American immigration policy for more than a century.
Any narrowing of birthright citizenship rights could fundamentally alter how citizenship is acquired in the United States and may create long term legal uncertainty for future generations born within the country.
Immigration attorneys and constitutional scholars are closely monitoring these developments because any Supreme Court ruling could impact family based immigration petitions, future citizenship eligibility, and the legal interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The outcome may also influence future federal immigration legislation and enforcement priorities nationwide.
As immigration enforcement intensifies and constitutional questions continue evolving, many individuals and families are seeking reliable legal guidance to understand their rights and options.
At Spar and Bernstein, immigration attorneys continue helping clients navigate adjustment of status applications, deportation defense, citizenship matters, asylum claims, visa petitions, and family based immigration processes. In periods of legal uncertainty, proactive immigration planning and experienced representation can play a critical role in protecting long term stability and opportunity.
The AP NORC survey serves as a reminder that immigration policy affects real people, real families, and entire communities across the United States. As national debates continue, access to knowledgeable legal support remains essential for those seeking security and lawful pathways forward.
The AP NORC survey was conducted April 16 through April 20, 2026, among 2,596 adults nationwide. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
