Washington, Jul 11 (AP) Just months after President Donald Trump returned to office amid a wave of anti-immigration sentiment, the share of U.S. adults saying immigration is a “good thing” for the country has jumped substantially — including among Republicans, according to new Gallup polling.

About 8 in 10 Americans, 79 per cent, say immigration is “a good thing” for the country today, an increase from 64 per cent a year ago and a high point in the nearly 25-year trend. Only about 2 in 10 US adults say immigration is a bad thing right now, down from 32 per cent last year.

During Democratic President Joe Biden's term in office, negative views of immigration had increased markedly, reaching a high point in the months before Trump, a Republican, took office. The new Gallup data suggests US adults are returning to more pro-immigrant views that could complicate Trump's push for sweeping deportations and other anti-immigration policies. The poll shows decreasing support for the type of mass deportations Trump has championed since before he was elected.

Since taking office, Trump has called on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do all in its power to deliver “the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.” His administration has also pushed to limit access to federal benefits for immigrants who lack legal status, sought to revoke the citizenship of immigrants who commit crimes and is working to end birthright citizenship for children born to those without legal status or who are in the country temporarily.

In general, Americans' views of immigration policies have shifted dramatically in the last year, the Gallup polling shows — including among Republicans, who have become much more content with immigration levels since Trump took office but who have also grown more supportive of pathways to citizenship for people in the country illegally.

The broader trend also shows that public opinion is generally much more favorable to immigrants than it was decades ago.

The vast majority of US adults say immigration is good Americans' more positive view on immigration is driven primarily by a shift among Republicans and independents.

About two-thirds of Republicans now say immigrants are “a good thing” for the country, up from 39 per cent last year. And independents moved from about two-thirds last year to 80 per cent this year.

Democrats have maintained their overwhelmingly positive view of immigration in the last few years.

The share of Americans who want immigration decreased has dropped significantly In the time since Trump took office, Republicans have become more satisfied with the level of immigration in the country.

The share of Americans who want immigration “decreased” in the United States dropped from 55 per cent to 30 per cent. While fewer Americans now want to decrease the number of people who come to the US from other countries, more want immigration levels kept the same than want higher immigration levels. About 4 in 10 say immigration should be kept at its current level, and only 26 per cent say immigration should be increased.

The poll suggests Republicans' sharp anti-immigrant views highlighted before November's election — which helped return Trump to the White House — have largely faded. The share of Republicans saying immigration should be decreased dropped from a high of 88 per cent to 48 per cent in the last year. Close to 4 in 10 Republicans now say immigration levels should remain the same, and only about 1 in 10 would like an increase.

Much of that Republican movement likely comes from support for the Trump administration's stringent immigration enforcement, but there are also signs in the Gallup polling that Republicans have become more supportive of pathways to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally and more likely to see benefits from immigration that could be at odds with the Trump administration's priorities.

More Americans back a pathway to citizenship Most Americans favour allowing immigrants living in the US illegally the chance to become US citizens if they meet certain requirements over a period of time, the poll shows.

Almost 9 in 10 US adults, 85 per cent, favor a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who were brought to the US illegally as children, and nearly as many say they favour a path to citizenship for all immigrants in the country illegally as long as they meet certain requirements.

That increased support for pathways to citizenship largely comes from Republicans, about 6 in 10 of whom now support that, up from 46 per cent last year. Support was already very high among independents and Democrats.

Support for deporting immigrants in the country illegally has also decreased across the board, but less significantly. About 4 in 10 US adults now favour deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally, down from about half a year ago. (AP) RD