Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Axios
Axios
World
Dave Lawler

Americans more open to increased immigration than most in Europe

Adapted from Pew Research Center; Chart: Naema Ahmed/Axios

Far more people around the world would like to see immigration decrease than increase, at least in 27 countries polled by Pew.

By the numbers: Support for increasing immigration ranges from just 2% in Greece and Hungary to 28% in Spain. In the U.S., 29% want immigration reduced, 24% want it increased and 44% want it to stay the same.


  • Japan, which has historically had low levels of immigration but faces a severe demographic crisis, is among the most open to increasing immigration. However, as in Canada and South Korea, a majority favors keeping immigration at current (relatively low) levels.
  • Majorities in 12 countries, meanwhile, want to see immigration reduced. They include Russia, Israel, South Africa, Italy and Sweden.

Driving the news: Representatives of 164 countries gathered in Morocco today to sign the first-ever global migration accord. The pact, which is not legally binding, calls for a more orderly and humane approach.

  • The U.S. was at one point the only holdout, but a number of other countries — including Australia, Austria and Hungary — also declined to sign. Belgium's government did sign up and lost its parliamentary majority in a resulting split in the coalition.
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.