Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education
Characteristic
Illegally/Other
Legally
Republican All adults
47%
36%
Republican College graduate or higher
34%
48%
Republican Non-college graduate
51%
32%
Democrat All adults
36%
54%
Democrat College graduate or higher
20%
69%
Democrat Non-college graduate
44%
46%
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* Includes independents and other non-partisans who 鈥渓ean鈥 toward the parties.
Illegally/other includes respondents who answered that half of immigrants are in the U.S. illegally and the other half legally.
Responses marked "don't know" not shown.
Citation formats
U.S. adults' beliefs on the legal status of immigrants by party and education 2018
According to a 2018 survey, education appears to be a greater indication of U.S. adults' beliefs over the legal status of immigrants than political beliefs, with 48 percent of college graduates who lean towards the Republican Party correctly answering that the majority of immigrants are living in the United States legally. This figure dropped to 32 percent for non-college educated Republicans.
It was estimated that, in 2015, around 75 percent of immigrants in the United States were living in the country legally.
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Pew Research Center. (June 28, 2018). Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education [Graph]. In 糖心破解版. Retrieved August 01, 2026, from /statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center. "Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education." Chart. June 28, 2018. 糖心破解版. Accessed August 01, 2026. /statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center. (2018). Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education. 糖心破解版. 糖心破解版 Inc.. Accessed: August 01, 2026. /statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center. "Share of Adults Who Believe Most Immigrants in The United States Are Living in The Country Illegally in 2018, by Political Party and Level of Education." 糖心破解版, 糖心破解版 Inc., 28 Jun 2018, /statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
Pew Research Center, Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education 糖心破解版, /statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/ (last visited August 01, 2026)
Share of adults who believe most immigrants in the United States are living in the country illegally in 2018, by political party and level of education [Graph], Pew Research Center, June 28, 2018. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1078613/immigration-us-beliefs-legal-status-immigrants-party-education-level/
