A new poll shows that more Americans approve than disapprove of President Donald Trump’s executive order barring refugees along with citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday, some 49 percent of Americans said they “strongly” or “somewhat” agreed with his order. About 41 percent “strongly” or “somewhat” disagreed. Another 10 percent said they’re not sure yet.
The responses were split along party lines, with 53 percent of Democrats saying they “strongly disagree” and 51 percent of Republicans saying they “strongly agree,” the poll found.
Refugees, under the new order, can’t enter the United States for 120 days, while citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen also can’t arrive in the country. There are 49 Muslim-majority countries in the world.
On Twitter, Trump wrote on Wednesday: “Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!” He wrote on Monday: “There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!”
Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2017
There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
His order received much criticism from Democrats, some Republican lawmakers, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Protests erupted in major cities and in some airports.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was carried online in English in 50 states, and it gathered poll responses from 1,201 people—with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
