Most Chicagoans Oppose Federal Immigration Enforcement & Express Support for Immigrants
ChicagoSpeaks is the only probability-based panel built exclusively for Chicago, giving decision-makers reliable evidence on residents’ opinions and priorities.
Q1 2026
Chicagoans remain critical of the federal government’s immigration enforcement practices, according to a new ChicagoSpeaks® survey from NORC at the University of Chicago.
Nearly two-thirds of Chicagoans (64 percent) oppose “Operation Midway Blitz,” the name for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s use of federal immigration and law enforcement agencies to arrest and deport immigrants in the United States illegally. Residents express concern about the effects stricter immigration enforcement is having on the city.
Few agree with arguments in favor of strict enforcement, such as that it helps protect American jobs or resources, or that mass deportations make Chicago communities safer. Majorities say it has had a negative impact on trust in law enforcement, public safety, neighborhood stability, the local economy, and residents’ access to public services. Most (56 percent) say that the statement “the federal government is violating constitutional rights in the way it is enforcing immigration laws” describes their views at least somewhat well.
White adults and Hispanic adults are more likely than Black adults to say the number of immigrants should be increased, as are adults with a college degree compared to those without one, and those under 30 compared to those 60 or older.
Sympathy for immigrants is widespread. Sixty-five percent support offering legal or financial help to immigrants facing deportation. Seventy-one percent say they should be allowed to become citizens, provided they meet certain requirements. About half support blocking or disrupting federal immigration enforcement operations and oppose publicly showing support for immigration enforcement officers.
Most also oppose federal taxes being spent on mass arrest and deportation initiatives, local businesses allowing immigration agents to use their facilities during operations, and building federal databases with data collected during immigration enforcement operations.
“Despite opposition to the federal government’s handling of immigration, Chicago residents remain divided on whether the number of immigrants in the United States should be reduced, stay the same, or increase.”
Beyond immigration, Chicagoans identified several local priorities they believe would improve quality of life in their neighborhoods. When asked what would most improve quality of life in their neighborhood, 2 in 10 cited safety concerns, the most common answer. Other priorities include better public services, increased affordability, and additional human services (including access to health care and improved schools).
Methodology
The Chicago poll was conducted March 16-23, 2026 using ChicagoSpeaks®, NORC at the University of Chicago’s probability-based panel of Chicago residents. Online interviews were completed with 1,147 adults. The overall margin of sampling error is +/- 4.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level, including the design effect.
NORC conducted the survey using two probability-based sample sources: (1) AmeriSpeak® panelists residing in Chicago and (2) ChicagoSpeaks panelists. Final survey estimates were calibrated to account for the two sample sources. This research supports a scientifically rigorous, community-driven resource that informs policymakers and the public about the experiences and opinions of Chicago residents.
Interviews were conducted online in English and Spanish with Chicago residents ages 18 and older. AmeriSpeak panelists were invited through the password-protected AmeriSpeak Mobile App and received email and SMS reminders, while ChicagoSpeaks panelists received email and SMS invitations. Respondents received a small monetary incentive for completing the survey.
Quality assurance checks were conducted to ensure data quality. In total, 12 interviews were removed for nonresponse to at least 50 percent of the questions asked of them or for completing the survey in less than one-third the median interview time for the full sample. These interviews were excluded from the data file prior to weighting.
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About ChicagoSpeaks
Funded and operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, ChicagoSpeaks® is a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the Chicago household population.
For more information, email ChicagoSpeaks-BD@norc.org.
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago conducts research and analysis that decision-makers trust. As a nonpartisan research organization and a pioneer in measuring and understanding the world, we have studied almost every aspect of the human experience and every major news event for more than eight decades. Today, we partner with government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world to provide the objectivity and expertise necessary to inform the critical decisions facing society.
Contact: For more information, please email press@norc.org or call (877) 832-0392.
