CALIFORNIA — Sixty-four percent of California voters disapproved of President Trump's immigration policies, according to a University of California, Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll conducted online in English and Spanish from March 9 to March 15, 2026. The survey of 5,109 registered voters also found that a majority of respondents believed Trump's immigration policies discriminate against Latinos.

Nearly half of California voters said they were concerned that they, a family member or a close friend could be detained because of Trump's immigration policies. Overall, 45% of respondents said they were somewhat or very concerned about detention. Among Latino voters, 62% expressed that level of concern, while 46% of Black voters and 43% of Asian or Pacific Islander voters said the same.

"This suggests that a significant number of voters see ICE infringement on the individual rights of the undocumented as also potentially leading to broader infringements on citizens' rights," said G. Cristina Mora, a sociology professor and co-director of the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.

Eighty-six percent of Republicans in the poll said they approved of Trump's immigration policies, while 63% of Democrats said they were somewhat or very concerned about being detained. Among Republicans, 85% said they were not too concerned or not concerned at all about detention.

On specific enforcement tactics, 68% of Republicans favored allowing ICE agents to wear masks while on duty, while 91% of Democrats opposed the practice. Among California Republicans, 45% said immigration agents should not be allowed to enter the homes of suspected undocumented immigrants without a judge-approved search warrant, 38% said they should be allowed, and 17% said they had no opinion.

Nearly seven in 10 respondents said they wanted state and local authorities to intervene when they witness unlawful detentions or excessive use of force by federal immigration agents. In an August poll, 45% of Republicans said federal agents should be required to show clear identification when carrying out their work.

The March poll's disapproval figure of 64% compared with 69% of respondents in the August poll who said they disapproved of how immigration enforcement was being carried out in California. Republican approval of immigration enforcement also rose, from 79% in the August poll to 86% in the current survey.

Ford O'Connell, a Republican strategist, said in reference to the polling results, "There is wiggle room." Democratic strategist Maria Cardona said, "Our positivism, our optimism, our hope in a better future is second to none." Cardona added, "That's what you're seeing in those numbers, even as our community feels totally attacked."