California Millennials Split on Trump's Immigration Policies

Younger voters in the heavily Democratic state show closer divide on immigration enforcement compared to overall electorate.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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A new Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics survey found that while California voters overall narrowly preferred former President Joe Biden's immigration policies over those of President Donald Trump, the results were much closer among younger millennial voters. The poll showed a 34.3%/44% split between those ages 30-39 who preferred Trump's versus Biden's immigration approach, compared to a 41.5%/38.6% split favoring Trump among those ages 40-49.

Why it matters

California is home to one of the country's largest immigrant populations, and the state's voters have typically aligned with Democrats on immigration issues. Any generational softening toward Trump's enforcement-focused policies could signal a political opening for the former president and a challenge for Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who has clashed with Trump over immigration.

The details

The February 13-14 Emerson poll found that 41% of California voters preferred Biden's immigration policies, versus 38% for Trump's, with 21% choosing neither. However, the age-based breakdowns showed a closer contest among younger voters. Among those ages 30-39, 34.3% preferred Trump's approach compared to 44% for Biden's. In the 40-49 age group, 41.5% favored Trump's policies versus 38.6% for Biden's.

  • The Emerson poll was conducted on February 13-14, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president whose immigration enforcement policies have been a point of contention in California.

Gavin Newsom

The Democratic governor of California who has clashed with Trump over immigration enforcement in the state.

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What they’re saying

“President Trump was overwhelmingly elected by nearly 80 million Americans to deliver on his popular and common-sense agenda. The president has already made historic progress not only in America, but around the world. It is not surprising that President Trump remains the most dominant figure in American politics.”

— Davis Ingle, White House spokesman (Newsweek)

“California is on record to help ensure bad criminals have no place in our society, including coordinating with ICE when these people get out of our prisons. We support public safety, while the Trump agenda is all for inflating headlines.”

— Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Senior aide in Newsom's office (Newsweek)

What’s next

Emerson's methodology note cautioned that demographic subgroups such as age carry wider uncertainty, so future waves of surveys with more accessible breakdowns could give greater clarity on which way voters of different age groups lean on issues like immigration.

The takeaway

This poll suggests a potential generational divide among California voters on immigration, with younger millennials showing a closer split in their preferences between Trump's and Biden's policies compared to the overall electorate. This could signal an opening for Trump's messaging on the issue, even in a heavily Democratic state, and presents a challenge for Newsom as he navigates the politics of immigration enforcement.