Most Americans oppose Trump's immigration proposals: Gallup

Donald Trump speaks at the Republican US presidential candidates debate at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida, US March 10, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON -- Two-thirds of Americans oppose the immigration proposals by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Gallup found in a poll released on Wednesday.

Trump has made stemming the tide of illegals a campaign priority, saying he would build a wall on the border with Mexico and deport illegal immigrants if elected president.

The poll showed that 66 percent of Americans oppose the idea of building a wall on the US-Mexico border, including 88 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 38 percent of Republicans.

Similarly, 66 percent of Americans oppose deporting illegal immigrants, including 83 percent of Democrats, 65 percent of independents and 48 percent of Republicans.

A great majority of Americans, or 84 percent, favor a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who meet certain requirements over a period of time, including 91 percent of Democrats, 85 percent of independents, and 76 percent of Republicans, Gallup found.

Not surprisingly, given the greater support for a path to citizenship than deportation or building a wall on the US-Mexico border, Americans are more likely to say Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's immigration proposals, rather than Trump's, come closer to their own, Gallup found.

Fifty-three percent of Americans say Clinton's immigration policies are closer to their own, compared to 37 percent who say Trump's proposals on immigration come closer to their own.

Notably, more Republicans favor a path to citizenship than supporting construction of a border wall or deporting illegal immigrants.

Although a majority of Republicans favor this proposal, the 62 percent who do so is much smaller than those (76 percent) who favor a path to citizenship for immigrants living here illegally for a certain period of time, Gallup noted.