A new CBS News/YouGov poll released on July 20 reveals a noticeable decline in President Donald Trump’s approval rating, driven in large part by public dissatisfaction with his administration’s immigration policies. The survey highlights immigration as the top issue influencing Americans’ views of the president’s job performance, surpassing concerns about inflation and the economy.
Approval Rating Drops to 42%
According to the poll, Trump’s overall approval rating now stands at 42%, with 58% disapproving of his job performance. This marks a steady decline from 45% in June and 47% in April. Immigration policy emerged as the most significant factor influencing public opinion, with 61% of respondents saying it “mattered a lot” in evaluating Trump’s performance.
Other polling averages, including those from The New York Times (44%) and Real Clear Politics (45.5%), report similar trends, though their disapproval ratings remain slightly lower at 53% and 52%, respectively.
Immigration Policy Support Declines
Trump’s immigration agenda appears to be a central driver of the dip in approval. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from July 15 to 16, support for the president’s immigration stance hit a record low since the start of his second term, with only 41% of respondents approving and 51% disapproving.
The CBS/YouGov poll found similar sentiment:
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56% disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration
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44% approve, marking a 10-point drop since February, when approval stood at 54%
Deportation Policies Face Backlash
Public opinion on the administration’s deportation efforts has also shifted significantly. In February, 59% of respondents approved of deportations targeting individuals in the U.S. illegally. By July, that number had fallen to 49%, with a majority now opposing the policy.
CBS News analysts noted:
“Approval of the deportation program has slipped over these months to become slightly net-negative now, with support becoming more exclusively drawn from Republicans and MAGA identifiers.”
Partisan Divide on Immigration Issues
The poll underscores stark partisan divides on immigration:
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91% of Republicans support Trump’s deportation policies
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Only 14% of Democrats approve, with 86% opposing
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Among independents, 59% disapprove while 41% approve
Attitudes toward the use of immigration detention facilities follow a similar pattern:
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58% of respondents disapprove of their use
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42% approve
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Support among Republicans is high (85%), compared to 15% among Democrats
Poll Methodology
The CBS/YouGov poll surveyed 2,343 U.S. adults between July 16 and 18. The margin of error is ±2.5 percentage points.
Conclusion
As President Trump’s second term progresses, his immigration policies are emerging as a major source of public concern, contributing to a significant erosion in approval ratings. While support among Republicans remains strong, independents and Democrats are increasingly critical of both deportation efforts and the use of detention centers—shaping the political landscape ahead of key policy debates and the 2026 midterms.
