Immigration Polling Results

William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University Logo

Feb. 6-16, 2026
Weighted Results

For the most part, do you think immigration is a good thing or a bad thing for this country?
Response option Percent Count
Good thing 75% 522
Bad thing 12% 84
Not sure 12% 82
Refuse 2% 12
Total 100% 700

Should immigration to the United States be more difficult, less difficult, or are you satisfied with immigration laws as is?
Response option Percent Count
More difficult 25% 174
Less difficult 44% 311
Satisfied as is 19% 136
Not sure 10% 69
Refuse 1% 10
Total 100% 700

Which of the following best aligns with your views? Undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States:
Response option Percent Count
Should be allowed to stay legally 16% 111
Should be allowed to stay legally only if they meet certain requirements 58% 409
Should not be allowed to stay legally 22% 151
Not sure 3% 20
Refuse 1% 10
Total 100% 700

Do you support or oppose each of the following?

A national effort to deport people who are in the country illegally:
Response option Percent Count
Strongly support 29% 205
Somewhat support 18% 125
Somewhat oppose 14% 99
Strongly oppose 33% 228
Not sure 5% 38
Refuse 1% 5
Total 100% 700
Increasing resources to the U.S. border with Mexico:
Response option Percent Count
Strongly support 36% 251
Somewhat support 19% 134
Somewhat oppose 13% 90
Strongly oppose 21% 150
Not sure 10% 68
Refuse 1% 7
Total 100% 700
Increasing resources to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):
Response option Percent Count
Strongly support 25% 178
Somewhat support 11% 78
Somewhat oppose 8% 58
Strongly oppose 51% 360
Not sure 3% 18
Refuse 1% 7
Total 100% 700
Creating more opportunities to legally immigrate to the U.S.:
Response option Percent Count
Strongly support 56% 392
Somewhat support 26% 185
Somewhat oppose 5% 34
Strongly oppose 8% 55
Not sure 4% 29
Refuse 1% 5
Total 100% 700
Do you think immigration to the U.S. improves, worsens, or has no effect on crime rates?
Response option Percent Count
Improves 8% 54
Worsens 29% 203
No effect 52% 361
Not sure 11% 76
Refuse 1% 6
Total 100% 700
Do you think immigration to the U.S. improves, worsens, or has no effect on job opportunities for you and your family?
Response option Percent Count
Improves 11% 78
Worsens 24% 166
No effect 61% 425
Not sure 4% 27
Refuse 1% 4
Total 100% 700
Which best describes your view on immigrant workers?
Response option Percent Count
Immigrants bring useful skills and labor to the economy 76% 530
The U.S. labor force does not need immigrant workers to fill skills and labor gaps 16% 114
Not sure 6% 43
Refuse 2% 13
Total 100% 700
Do you approve or disapprove of the Trump administration's approach to immigration?
Response option Percent Count
Strongly approve 24% 171
Somewhat approve 10% 73
Somewhat disapprove 8% 57
Strongly disapprove 54% 376
Not sure 3% 22
Refuse 0% 1
Total 100% 700
Do you think immigration enforcement and deportation efforts have gone too far, not far enough, or have been about right?
Response option Percent Count
Too far 66% 461
Not far enough 12% 81
About right 20% 138
Not sure 2% 17
Refuse 1% 4
Total 100% 700
Which best describes your view? ICE's deportation tactics:
Response option Percent Count
Are making communities less safe 59% 412
Are making communities safer 29% 200
Have had little effect on communities either way 9% 61
Not sure 3% 23
Refuse 1% 4
Total 100% 700
Do you support or oppose a law in New Jersey to limit the assistance that state law enforcement officers may provide to federal immigration authorities like ICE?
Response option Percent Count
Support 48% 339
Oppose 43% 298
Not sure 8% 58
Refuse 1% 5
Total 100% 700
Do you support or oppose a law in New Jersey to establish safeguards on how state agencies and healthcare facilities collect and share personal data, like immigration status, with federal authorities?
Response option Percent Count
Support 59% 411
Oppose 35% 242
Not sure 6% 42
Refuse 1% 5
Total 100% 700
Do you support or oppose the creation of a New Jersey state portal where residents can upload photos or videos of federal immigration authorities like ICE interacting with the public?
Response option Percent Count
Support 54% 378
Oppose 38% 268
Not sure 7% 52
Refuse 0% 3
Total 100% 700
How confident are you that Governor Mikie Sherrill will enact immigration-related policies that align with your views?
Response option Percent Count
Very confident 22% 156
Somewhat confident 28% 199
Not too confident 11% 77
Not at all confident 29% 204
Not sure 9% 61
Refuse 0% 2
Total 100% 700
From which source(s) do you typically get your news? Choose all that apply.
Source Percent Count
Social media 46% 322
National newspapers (either online or in print) 41% 286
Local newspapers (either online or in print) 28% 199
Other online websites or blogs 40% 282
TV (Please specify) 46% 322
Some other source (Please specify) 15% 104
Not sure 1% 6
Refuse 1% 8

Demographics

Age
Age group Percent Count
18-29 14% 98
30-44 24% 167
45-64 35% 245
65 and older 26% 182
Refuse 1% 8
Region
Region Percent Count
Gateway 58% 406
Northwest 10% 70
South Jersey 12% 84
Jersey Shore 19% 133
Refuse 1% 7
Race and ethnicity
Category Percent Count
Yes, Hispanic or Latino 13% 91
Refuse (Hispanic/Latino question) 4% 25
White 67% 469
Black or African American 13% 91
Asian or Pacific Islander 4% 26
Other/Multiracial 11% 75
Refuse (race question) 6% 39
Education level
Education level Percent Count
Less than a four-year college degree 55% 385
A four-year college degree or more 43% 301
Refuse 2% 14
Household income
Household income Percent Count
Less than $100,000 40% 280
$100,000 or more 50% 348
Refuse 10% 73
Party affiliation
Party affiliation Percent Count
Democrat 35% 248
Republican 21% 145
Independent 31% 220
Other/Not Sure 11% 75
Refuse 2% 12
Gender
Gender Percent Count
Man 48% 334
Woman 50% 348
Identify another way/refuse 3% 18

Methodology

The poll of New Jersey residents was sponsored and conducted by the Stockton Polling Institute of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. Data collection took place from February 6-16, 2026 using NJ voter list sample. A total of 700 New Jersey registered voters were interviewed. Responses were recorded via telephone or online in English. Overall, 96% of interviews were conducted on cell phones and 4% on landline phones. In terms of mode, 71% were reached via dialing with the survey administered by a live interviewer and 29% were reached via text-to-web. The live calls were conducted by Opinion Services. The text messages were sent by Stockton Polling Institute staff from the university’s Galloway campus and included a single-use link to take the survey online. The data were weighted to balance the sample demographics using iterative proportional fitting. Weights were based on U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 data for the voting eligible population in New Jersey on variables of age, ethnicity, education level, region, and sex. The poll's margin of error is +/- 3.7 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The margin of sampling error is higher for subsets. Sampling error does not account for other potential sources of bias in polls such as measurement error or non-response. The poll has a design effect of 1.31. The design effect reflects the increase in sampling variance introduced by weighting adjustments.