Trump’s approval rating on the economy sinks to just 32%, as immigration remains a stronger issue for Republicans

Trump’s approval rating on the economy has sunk to just 32%, with even Republicans expressing concerns about the financial strain, as they say they need to get a loan before going grocery shopping. Despite this, immigration remains a stronger issue for the president, with about 8 in 10 Republicans continuing to approve of his handling of the topic. The findings come from a new AP-NORC poll, which highlights the shifting priorities of the American public and the relative stability of Trump’s support within his base.

Immigration remains a stronger issue for Trump than the economy or Iran

While the economy has become a growing concern for many Americans, immigration continues to be a central issue for Trump, particularly among his Republican base. The poll found that only 39% of U.S. adults approve of his performance on immigration, a decline from 49% at the start of his second term. However, this number remains relatively stable among Republicans, who continue to show strong support for his approach. The findings contrast with views of his handling of Iran, where more recent signs of slippage have emerged, even among his own supporters.

Most Americans say Trump has gone too far on deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. About half of U.S. adults say Trump has “gone too far” on deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, a number that has remained steady for over a year despite aggressive immigration enforcement actions. This includes multiple crackdowns that deployed federal law enforcement to large cities and at least 10 deaths involving encounters with immigration officers since the mass deportation campaign began.

Public opinion on immigration enforcement remains divided

Republicans, however, are much less likely to say Trump has overstepped in his immigration enforcement actions, with only about 2 in 10 or fewer expressing such concerns. Most Americans, however, say Trump has gone too far when it comes to using traffic stops to find and arrest immigrants living in the U.S. illegally — a practice that was at the center of two recent ICE shootings in Maine. Republicans were also less likely to see these as oversteps. About half of Americans disapprove of the agency’s approach to immigration enforcement. The poll also found that about half of Americans “strongly” or “somewhat” disapprove of the agency’s approach, while roughly 3 in 10 “strongly” or “somewhat” approve. There’s a wide partisan split, with about 6 in 10 Republicans approving of ICE’s approach, compared with about 2 in 10 independents and just 4% of Democrats.

Trump’s approval on the economy remains low, with about 3 in 10 U.S. adults, or 32%, approving of how he is handling the economy. This marks a shift from his first presidential term, when the economy was a stronger issue for Trump. During his first term, his lowest approval on the economy was 40% in December 2017. Now, his rating is well below that. Roughly 7 in 10 Republicans — 69% — approve of how Trump is handling the economy, which is in line with the share who approve of how he’s handling the presidency, but slightly below the 78% who approved early in Trump’s second term.

More Republicans approve of how Trump is handling healthcare, with roughly 71% now approving, compared with 59% in the December poll. This shift comes as Democrats kicked off 100 days until the midterm elections last week, with leaders saying they’ll focus on healthcare cuts, in addition to the cost of living and the war in Iran. Democrats and independents continue to overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump’s handling of healthcare.