Survey Shows Divided Opinions on Trump's Immigration Policies Among Rural Voters

<figure><img alt="US President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House on the South Lawn in Washington, DC, US, September 26, 2026." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/73LTRVVD2ZHPJIZT64R6FDE5FE.JPG?auth=ca15c0eb8dfa06a73ba4d6ea8388e4389fdfd2ed6eb38972d6ddade333154caf&amp;smart=true&amp;width=3528&amp;height=1984" /><figcaption>Annabelle Gordon / Annabelle Gordon/Reuters</figcaption></figure><p>A recent Associated Press-KFF survey of over 2,000 rural voters indicates a divided response to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Approximately one-third of respondents reported that the administration's enforcement efforts have positively impacted their communities, while a similar proportion indicated a negative impact. About 30% stated that the policies had little effect.</p><p>This marks a notable shift for Trump, who emphasized immigration enforcement during his 2024 campaign, promising significant deportation efforts and border restrictions. In 2024, nearly 70% of rural voters supported him, and a Fox News poll from October 2024 showed a 20 percentage point increase in support for deporting undocumented immigrants since 2015.</p><p>However, the latest survey reveals that about 40% of rural voters believe Trump has overreached in his immigration policies. Many rural residents recognize the importance of immigrants to their local economies, with around 70% acknowledging that legally residing immigrants contribute positively. A similar percentage views temporary and seasonal agricultural workers as vital.</p><p>Shannon Monnat, director of the Center for Policy Research at Syracuse University, noted that immigrants play a crucial role in sustaining rural communities, particularly as younger residents leave. Monnat stated, "For a lot of small towns, immigrants are the reason the school and hospital stayed open and the county didn’t shrink."</p><p>Laura Leigh Taylor, a Georgia farmer who supported Trump in 2024, expressed regret over her vote after witnessing the impact of immigration enforcement on people she knows. While she agrees with deporting violent criminals, she opposes the broader enforcement actions affecting individuals who are simply trying to support their families.</p><p>“I understand getting rid of the rapists and the murderers,” Taylor remarked. “But all the people that fell in between that really weren’t doing nothing but taking care of their family.” Taylor mentioned that a friend's father was deported, which has influenced her political views, leading her to consider voting for Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in the upcoming election.</p><p>The concerns about immigration policy are not limited to those who have shifted away from supporting Trump. Jeff Miller, a Republican from Racine, Ohio, still endorses much of Trump's agenda but finds the immigration policy problematic. He recounted the deportation of a friend whose work permit expired and suggested that a less aggressive approach might be more appropriate.</p><p>“There’s kind of an up-and-down thing because I lost a really good friend over that,” Miller stated.</p><p>Albert Martinez, a 70-year-old Democrat from San Diego, Texas, who voted for Trump in 2016, also supports deporting criminals but is increasingly concerned about the broader implications of the enforcement actions. He noted that the crackdown has affected many innocent individuals who contribute to society.</p><p>“They started doing everybody across the board,” Martinez said. “Innocent kids and women, people who work in restaurants, people who work in hotels, people who are building homes, people who are doing masonry work, and innocent, good, taxpaying people. Taxpayers. It’s insane.”</p><p>The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.</p>