Poll: Trump is stronger on immigration but weaker on economy

Americans are divided on President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration and the nation’s economy. 

A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows roughly half of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s approach to immigration, the survey shows, but only about 4 in 10 have a positive view of the way he’s managing the economy and trade negotiations.

Americans approve of Trump’s handling of immigration 

Local perspective:

More Americans stated that they approve of President Donald Trump’s management of immigration than his approach to the presidency in general.

But about 2 in 10 say they support how Trump is approaching immigration, but that's higher than the roughly 1 in 10 who approve of his handling of the economy and his overall job performance.

RELATED: Trump admin using federal prisons to detain people arrested in immigration crackdown

The Associated Press reported that the president’s appeal on immigration emphasizes that many Americans support his tough stance on the issue, which he has focused on during his second term in office. 

Trump’s job on trade and economy unfavorable among Americans

Respondents to the poll had a negative rating for President Donald Trump when it comes to trade negotiations with other countries, with roughly 6 in 10 Americans saying they disapprove of his job performance. Moreover, roughly 7 in 10 Republicans approve of the president’s handling of trade.

RELATED: Poll: Americans want border security but mostly oppose arrests in schools, churches

The poll noted that Trump’s strategy on other issues like managing the federal government, his management of foreign conflicts, Social Security and the economy also impact his rating among the public. 

According to the AP, consumer belief has waned in the past few months as Trump has argued that tariffs would bring more jobs in the auto industry to the nation and narrow the budget deficit, but prices on imported cars may also rise  if some of the costs of the taxes are passed along to Americans. 

What are Americans saying about Trump’s overall performance?

Big picture view:

According to the poll, roughly 4 in 10 Americans approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling his job as commander-in-chief, while more than half disapprove. Meanwhile, negative opinions are also stronger than positive opinions — about 4 in 10 U.S. adults strongly disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while about 2 in 10 strongly approve.