Editor’s note: This story on how Americans feel about the government’s treatment of pregnant immigrants was originally reported by Shefali Luthra and Mel Leonor Barclay of The 19th. Meet Shefali and Mel and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy.
More than two-thirds of Americans say that immigrants who are pregnant, nursing or have recently given birth should generally not be held in immigration detention, according to a new 19th News/YouGov poll.
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has led to more arrests, detentions and deportations of pregnant and postpartum immigrants, who are more medically vulnerable than the general population. About 29 percent of respondents said that immigrants who are pregnant, have recently given birth or are nursing should be detained only in “exceptional circumstances,” and 41 percent said they should not be kept in detention facilities at all.
Women are more likely to oppose the policy.
Only 12 percent of women believe that immigrants facing deportation should be held in detention even if they are pregnant, postpartum or nursing a baby, compared with 72 percent who say this group never should be or should be only in exceptional circumstances.
Men are overall more likely to support the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants, but still, most men — 68 percent — say they should not be held or be held only in exceptional circumstances.
Overall, Americans don’t agree with the administration’s approach.
There’s no demographic subset of Americans polled that says immigrants facing deportation should, as a rule, be held in detention even if they are pregnant, postpartum or nursing a baby. More than half of Black and Hispanic Americans say they should never be held in immigration detention.
Even among Republicans, only 30 percent said they support a general policy of detaining pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants. Meanwhile, 55 percent either said these people should not be detained or should be detained only in exceptional circumstances.
The poll also showed that most Democrats and Independents — 85 percent and 57 percent, respectively — believe the Trump administration is doing “too much” when it comes to deporting immigrants. A majority of women, 55 percent, also said they believe the administration is doing “too much,” compared with 45 percent of men surveyed.
Here’s why we asked.
The 19th has been reporting on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) detentions of pregnant, nursing and postpartum immigrants since President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. In March, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that 363 pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants were deported between January 1, 2025, and February 16, 2026, out of 498 who were detained and then left an ICE facility during that time, either via deportation or release.
A Biden-era policy directed ICE not to detain, arrest or take into custody pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding people simply for breaking immigration laws, except under “exceptional circumstances.” The Trump administration has not formally reversed that policy, but reports from across the country confirm that ICE has detained numerous pregnant immigrants since Trump took office.
The Department of Homeland Security has said it detains these immigrants infrequently and that those who are detained receive “comprehensive medical care.”
Over the last 18 months, The 19th has spoken with several women who say that they were detained despite having no criminal record or having only traffic violations. Several had pending asylum applications.
Many of them shared that they did not receive basic healthcare — including breast pumps, prenatal visits, vitamins or extra food — while detained. Nayra Guzmán, said she did not have a bed to sleep on, despite being in recovery for a recent Cesarean section. Amanda Isabel Fanego Cardoso said she was diagnosed with preeclampsia and gestational diabetes after being released but was not made aware of those conditions while in detention.
Americans broadly support access to pregnancy-related healthcare for detained immigrants.
If pregnant, postpartum or nursing immigrants are detained, the poll found, Americans broadly believe those people should be given basic pregnancy-related healthcare. About two-thirds of respondents — 67 percent — said these immigrants should be given breast pumps, and about 77 percent said they should receive prenatal care.
About 78 percent said that if immigration authorities separate a parent from an infant, they should be required to give the parent some contact with their baby.
How does this tie into the November elections?
Control of both the U.S. House and Senate are up for grabs in the November midterm elections, and it’s not clear yet how voters’ views on immigration policy and the Trump administration will affect their decisions.
Immigration is not currently a top issue for voters, but combined with Trump’s broader disapproval and weakened support for the GOP among Latinos — the group most affected by the administration’s immigration crackdown — the issue could still play an influential role in Florida, Texas, Arizona and beyond.
If Democrats win majorities in Congress, their party could exert greater oversight of the agencies carrying out Trump’s immigration agenda.
For example, Congress could revive a Biden-era rule that required DHS to report twice a year on how many pregnant, nursing or postpartum immigrants were held in immigration detention and include a “detailed justification” for every detained immigrant in these categories.
The 19th/YouGov poll was conducted online from September 18 to 24 among 2,357 adults, including an oversampling of 18- to 29-year-olds. The margin of error for the overall sample is ± 2.5 points.
