Most Americans support deporting at least some illegal immigrants, though they have varying views on why, according to a new poll.
A Pew Research Center poll released Wednesday found that 32% of U.S. adults say all illegal immigrants should be deported from the country, while 16% say none should be deported.
About half of U.S. adults, however, said at least some immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported, although they couldn’t reach a consensus on what factor should be grounds for deportation.
Of the roughly 51% of adults who support at least some deportation of illegal immigrants, nearly all support deporting those who commit violent crimes, according to the poll.
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The support among this group becomes divided when asked whether those who commit nonviolent crimes should be deported, with about 52% in favor, and 44% favoring deporting illegal immigrants who have arrived in the last four years.
Fewer adults who support at least some illegal immigration believe the U.S. should deport those who have a job (15% in favor), have family in the U.S. (19% in favor) or came to the U.S. as a child (9% in favor), the poll found.
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The poll comes as President Donald Trump and his administration carry out a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration, cartels and transnational gangs operating in the U.S.
A senior Trump administration official confirmed to Fox News this month that a total of 261 illegal aliens were deported to El Salvador on March 15. The majority of them were deported via the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows for the expulsion of an enemy nation’s natives and citizens without a hearing.
On Thursday, the FBI announced that authorities had captured the MS-13 top leader for the U.S. East Coast. The 24-year-old suspect was taken into custody in Woodbridge, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C.