66% of Hispanic voters support paths to citizenship, survey finds

Sixty-six percent of Hispanic voters in the United States support an immigration policy that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, according to a new survey. This figure represents the majority opinion within the group regarding how the government should handle legal status for residents without documentation.

The data comes from the Culture 360 Political Tracker, Wave 15, produced by the Intelligence Center of My Code. The survey was conducted between May 27 and July 8, 2026, and included 3,219 U.S. citizens aged 18 to 64. Of those participants, 651 were Hispanic. The results were published as part of the center's September 2026 report.

The survey measures the personal impact of President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Thirty percent of Hispanic voters reported knowing a close family member, friend, or coworker affected by these measures. An additional 19 percent identified someone in their community or among their acquaintances who faced similar consequences. Forty-five percent stated they did not know any person personally affected.

This proximity to the impact of immigration enforcement is higher among Hispanic voters than among other demographic groups. Nineteen percent of Black voters reported knowing a close individual affected by the policies. This is slightly higher than the 17 percent reported by Asian American voters and voters classified as non-multicultural.

When asked whether the government should focus on border security or reform laws to create a path to citizenship, 39 percent of Hispanic voters chose the reform option. Another 27 percent believed both measures deserved equal attention. Twenty-one percent preferred prioritizing border reinforcement, while 13 percent expressed uncertainty. Combining those who chose reform as the primary goal with those who wanted it paired with border controls yields the 66 percent majority.

The preference for legal pathways appears across other communities as well. My Code reports that between 63 percent and 72 percent of voters in the other groups studied selected an alternative that included a path to citizenship. The researchers noted that the questions regarding policy preference and personal experience were independent. Therefore, the data does not prove that knowing an affected individual determines a favorable stance on legalization.

Operational data from the Department of Homeland Security provides context for the survey findings. According to records analyzed by the Deportation Data Project and published by NPR, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded 49,571 immigration arrests in July 2026. These figures represent detentions rather than finalized deportations, as individuals may remain in custody or undergo legal proceedings.

These findings align with other recent research on the Hispanic community. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2025 of 4,923 Latino adults found that 59 percent had seen or heard about ICE arrests or raids in their community within the preceding six months. Fifty-two percent expressed concern about being deported themselves, a figure that had risen from 42 percent in March 2025. Nineteen percent said they had changed their daily routines due to fear of being asked to prove their citizenship or immigration status.

The November 3, 2026, legislative elections are approaching, where Republicans aim to maintain control of Congress. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on October 5 showed that 24 percent of Hispanics approve of President Trump's handling of the country. Among registered Latino voters, 52 percent intend to support Democratic candidates, compared to 26 percent who would back Republicans. Conversely, a Marquette Law School survey found that 49 percent of Americans approve of Trump's border security management and 43 percent approve of his immigration management, both figures higher than his general presidential approval rating of 37 percent.