A majority of immigrants living in the United States say their lives are better here than in their countries of origin and that they would choose to migrate again, even as fear of arrest and deportation has increased under President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a new national survey.
The KFF/New York Times Survey of Immigrants, based on responses from 1,805 immigrant adults found that most respondents believe they have gained improved financial stability, economic opportunity and long-term prospects for their families since coming to the U.S.
“Most immigrants still say their own lives are better for coming to the U.S., and most would come again,” the report states.
Nevertheless, fear of enforcement has grown sharply: 41% now worry that they or a family member could be detained or deported, up from 26% in 2023. More than one in five immigrants — 22% — say they personally know someone who has been arrested, detained or deported since Trump returned to office, nearly three times the share reported in April 2025.
As a result, about half of immigrants across legal statuses report feeling less safe since January. Three in ten say they or family members avoid activities such as traveling, working, or seeking medical care due to enforcement concerns. Among likely undocumented immigrants, that figure rises to three in four.
Many respondents also reported economic hardship. About half said they struggle to pay for housing, food or health care — an increase from 31% in 2023 — and many say earning a living has become more difficult in the past year.
Health concerns have also grown, with 40% of adult immigrants and 77% of likely undocumented immigrants reporting negative impacts such as stress, sleep issues or worsening medical conditions linked to fears of enforcement.
Other recent polling shows similar sentiment among Latino residents. A survey by Axios Ipsos and Noticias Telemundo from early November found that less than a third of Latinos — 31% — believe it is a good time to be a Latino in the U.S., down from 55% in March 2024. A majority of respondents in that survey said they want an end to immigration raids and deportations and worry their loved ones could be targeted due to their ethnicity.
Originally published on Latin Times
