An estimated 750,000 Houston-area residents know someone detained and possibly deported in 2025.
Houston-area communities are experiencing the impact of stricter immigration enforcement in 2025, with potential consequences for the regional economy, schools and local planning.
Although no official deportation counts have been released, an October-November survey of over 9,000 adults in Fort Bend, Harris and Montgomery counties found that many residents personally knew someone — such as a friend, family member, neighbor or co-worker — who had been detained or was at risk of deportation. Building on an earlier 2025 report, this survey is the first to track local experiences and shifts in public opinion since enforcement intensified.
Key findings
Personal impact
- More than 1 in 7 Houston-area residents had a personal connection (locally or elsewhere) to someone detained and potentially deported in 2025.
- In 10 of 53 surveyed neighborhoods, the impact was higher, with more than 1 in 5 residents reporting this experience.
- Personal connections were more common among Hispanic residents (25%), those born outside the U.S. (21%) and those earning less than $35,000 annually (24%).
Shifting public opinion
- Support for mass deportation declined overall, including among the most conservative residents, where it fell from 57% to 49% — suggesting that ideology remained influential, but less so than before.
- Support for pathways to citizenship rose from 70% to 75%, driven largely by those who had earlier wanted no government action.
- A broad majority (82%) said the U.S. immigration system is not working well, including 60% of those who previously viewed it favorably.
Suggested citations:
Potter, D., & DeLisi, A. (2026). Houston-area residents' personal connections to individuals impacted by mass deportation policies. Houston, TX: Houston Population Research Center, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25611/9DB1-3P93
Potter, D., & DeLisi, A. (2026). Changes in attitudes toward mass deportation and immigration in 2025. Houston, TX: Houston Population Research Center, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25611/BZCP-9F49
