Mark Levin Podcast

Episode: 3/5/26 - Democrats in Disarray: Poll Reveals Shocking Views on Immigration

Date: March 6, 2026
Host: Ben Ferguson (filling in for Mark Levin)
Network: Cumulus Podcast Network

Episode Overview

In this episode, guest host Ben Ferguson steps in for Mark Levin to tackle the results of a new immigration poll that upends much of the Democratic messaging in 2026. Ferguson dissects the dramatic findings of a Harvard Harris poll showing majority American support for mass deportations of illegal immigrants, even among a significant portion of Democrats. The discussion pivots to border security, the political weaponization of immigration policy, cabinet shakeups in the Trump administration, the escalating conflict with Iran (including U.S. military actions and their international ramifications), and issues of election gerrymandering and party loyalty.

The episode offers conservative commentary on how these issues intersect with America’s current political climate, explores potential consequences, and reflects on what the polling data suggests about the nation’s shifting attitudes ahead of the midterms.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Immigration Poll: Americans Shift Right

[03:00–20:00]

• Harvard Harris Poll Findings:

  • 57% of Americans (including 35% of Democrats and 54% of Independents) support deportation of all illegal immigrants ([08:10]).
  • 64% support laws denying commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to illegal immigrants.
  • Ferguson notes these polls usually skew "overwhelmingly Democratic," making the results even more striking.

• Implications for Democrats:

  • Democrats thought they could "flip" the immigration issue after negative media around ICE activity and sanctuary cities, but public opinion remains unmoved.
  • Quotes:

    “Even after all of the political hit jobs... It’s not working.” – Ben Ferguson ([06:32]) “35% of Democrats... That is shockingly high.” – Ben Ferguson ([10:05])

• Democrats Misread Their Base:

  • Ferguson emphasizes that significant Democratic support for stricter immigration exposes a disconnect between party leadership and their base.

• PR and ICE Enforcement Tactics:

  • The episode rehashes recent ICE actions, media framing, and subsequent administration adjustments in Minnesota.
  • Most Americans believe local law enforcement should work with ICE, oppose “sanctuary cities,” and want cooperation on detainer requests ([14:27]).

2. Economic and Social Effects of Illegal Immigration

[19:00–25:00]

• Ferguson cites caller statistics about the social costs:

  • Taxpayer spending on education, healthcare, and welfare for illegal immigrants reaches hundreds of billions per year ([126:00]).
  • “...We can’t afford to have our own children if we're paying for somebody else's children to be educated, indoctrinated, medical and all that.”—Justin, caller ([127:20])

• Discussion turns to how these pressures fuel support for restrictive immigration measures even within historically liberal groups.

3. Trump Administration: DHS Shakeup and Cabinet Changes

[60:00–75:00]

• Kristi Noem Out, Markwayne Mullin In:

  • President Trump announces Senator Markwayne Mullin as new Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem ([105:00]).
  • Noem’s ouster follows reported missteps in Minnesota ICE enforcement, a controversial $220 million ad campaign, and alleged personal controversies.

• Trump’s Statement ([101:00]):

  “Markwayne will work tirelessly to keep our border secure, stop migrant crime, murderers and other criminals from illegally entering the country and the surge of illegal drugs, and make America safe again.”

• Fallout and Reactions:

  • Ferguson emphasizes that Noem's departure is intended to reduce distractions and that Mullin is seen as a strong pick for immigration policy.

4. U.S. Escalation with Iran: Military Action and Global Fallout

[27:00–55:00]

• Latest U.S. Military Actions:

  • The U.S. has sunk over 30 Iranian ships; ballistic and drone attacks from Iran have dropped by 90% and 83%, respectively ([30:20]).
  • CENTCOM's Brad Cooper:

    “Our strikes against the Iranian navy have intensified... We are absolutely ready to prosecute this mission decisively.” ([34:45])

• International Reactions and Historic Precedents:

  • An Iranian warship surrendered to Sri Lanka, marking the first such internment by a neutral nation since WWII ([115:30]).
  • Discussion of weakened Iranian leadership and possible successors, plus the implications of Ayatollah’s son’s vast property holdings in London.

• Energy Markets and Global Politics:

  • U.S. strikes damage Iran’s oil exports, creating supply problems for China (Iran and Venezuela were major Chinese suppliers, now both heavily sanctioned).
  • Ferguson: “This is weakening China. That is a perk of what's happening right now.” ([132:50])

5. The Left’s Urban Challenge: Immigration and Assimilation

[57:00–62:00, 84:00–91:00]

• Ferguson parallels the situation in London (Sharia law, loss of “British identity,” and property corruption tied to foreign bad actors) with urban America:
  • “When you allow for this many immigrants to come in and set up their own way of life instead of assimilating, you get what you're seeing in the UK.” ([60:50])
  • U.S. cities like Minneapolis–St. Paul cited as examples of parallel cultural “takeovers.”

6. Party Loyalty and Election Dynamics

[147:00–155:00]

• Trump’s Popularity Outpaces Predecessors:

  • CNN reluctantly admits Trump has higher approval from his own party at this stage than Obama or Bush ([150:45]):

    “86% of Republicans approve of the job that Donald Trump is doing at this point. That is higher than either Obama or Bush...”

  • Strong approval (not just ‘like’):

    “Trump is the only one who gets a majority at this point in their presidency.” – CNN ([151:55])

• Democratic Party Radicalization:

  • Discusses Fox News survey: 38% of voters say a move from capitalism to socialism would be good; 61% oppose.
  • Ferguson ties this to immigration, public schooling failures, and “modern day slavery” of government dependency.

• Gerrymandering and Election Strategy:

  • Barack Obama accused of organizing for new Democratic-friendly district lines in VA, funded by foreign sources ([164:00]).
  • Despite significant Republican voters in New England, all congressional seats are Democratic, exemplifying claimed systemic bias.

  "If we can't win, we will cheat and we will gerrymander." – Ben Ferguson ([168:00])

7. Justice System and Weaponization of Government

[180:00–184:00]

• New emails suggest Merrick Garland misrepresented the White House’s direct involvement in the Mar-a-Lago raid.
  • Fox News: “These emails obtained by Fox News paint a different picture of the relationship between the Biden White House and the Biden Justice Department.” ([181:00])
  • Rep. Jim Jordan:

    "It’s always worse than we thought... The Biden DOJ's raid... was politically motivated."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Poll Results:

  "57% of Americans want all illegal immigrants sent home. That is a Harvard poll..." – Ben Ferguson ([09:13])

• On Democrat Party Blind Spots:

  “This is an issue that Democrats didn’t understand within their own party. ...That’s shockingly high, in my opinion.” – Ben Ferguson ([10:30])

• On U.S. Strikes on Iran:

  "America is literally cooking the Iranian navy. They're destroying them, completely dismantling them, and I couldn't be happier about it." – Ben Ferguson ([35:05])

• On Kristi Noem’s Ouster:

  “You never want to be the first cabinet official to, you know, get the boot. But Kristi Noem has gotten the boot now.” – Ben Ferguson ([105:05])

• On Chinese Oil Troubles:

  “President Trump's attack on Iran is now taking a massive economic bite out of China.” – Ben Ferguson ([132:10])

• On Urban Immigrant Enclaves:

  "You have radical groups, you have jihadist groups, you have terrorists, you have cells there... Same thing's happening in London, right? ...That's really sad. It's also not surprising." – Ben Ferguson ([61:30])

• On Gerrymandering:

  “If we can't win, we will cheat and we will gerrymander, and every conservative better get ready and fight back.” – Ben Ferguson ([168:00])

• On the Weaponization of DOJ:

  “These newly released documents confirm that the Biden DOJ's raid on Mar-a-Lago was politically motivated.” – Rep. Jim Jordan, cited by Ferguson ([181:50])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:00] – Poll introduction: "There is a very interesting poll that just came out..."
• [08:10] – Breakdown of poll numbers
• [10:05] – Democrats' surprising support for mass deportation
• [14:27] – ICE detainer explanation, public attitudes on law enforcement
• [19:00] – Economic impacts of illegal immigration; caller Justin
• [30:20] – U.S. military strikes on Iranian navy
• [34:45] – CENTCOM Brad Cooper press statement
• [60:50] – London's ‘fall’ under mass migration
• [105:00] – Noem out, Mullin in at DHS
• [126:00] – Detailed caller breakdown on cost of illegal immigration
• [132:10] – U.S. strikes impact China’s oil access
• [150:45] – CNN: Trump’s party approval record
• [170:00] – Nearly all New England seats Democratic despite large GOP base
• [181:00] – Emails show Biden White House linked to Mar-a-Lago DOJ raid

Conclusion & Takeaways

This episode delivers a hard-hitting conservative analysis of what Ben Ferguson calls a “watershed” moment on immigration in the polls, the political disarray among Democrats, and an assertive Trump administration. Major takeaways include the unexpectedly bipartisan American support for stronger immigration enforcement, the electoral and security ramifications of ongoing U.S. military actions abroad, and the persistent challenges posed by both internal party divisions and external threats. Ferguson frames these issues as crucial battlegrounds for the 2026 midterms, urging vigilance in the face of what he describes as institutional bias, weakened American allies, and the “weaponization” of the government against opposition.

For further engagement, Ferguson encourages listeners to call in, follow him on social media (@benfergusonshow), and subscribe to his own podcast for daily news updates.