For all the divisive anti-immigration rhetoric heard along the Donald Trump campaign trail this election season, more and more Republican voters seem to be disavowing his proposals.

A Pew Research Center study released Thursday, August 25, 2016 found 24 percent of Americans prioritize border security over all other immigration measures, compared to 29 percent who believe allowing undocumented immigrants to stay should be the priority.

Researchers note that this is the first time public opinion favors a path to citizenship over enhancements at the U.S.-Mexico border.

"The public is divided over many aspects of U.S. immigration policy. However, when asked about the priorities for policy toward illegal immigration, more Americans say better border security and a pathway to citizenship should be given equal priority than favor either approach individually," the study read.

While Republicans overwhelmingly maintain that border security is the biggest priority, nearly half - 45 percent - of the 2,010 liberal and conservative voters surveyed said both issues are equally important.

Majorities in both parties - 87 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of Republicans - said undocumented immigrants are just as honest and hard-working as Americans.

Criminality and the Border Wall

Donald Trump announced his candidacy by calling Mexicans "rapists" and "criminals." He campaigned on this belief, along with a promise to fortify the border wall at the Mexican government's expense.

The hallmark of Trump's campaign drew strong opposition from the Hispanic community and immediate disapproval from then-Republican presidential contenders.

Pew researchers found a majority of the public, too, questions Trump's policies. Over 60 percent of respondents oppose the wall, while 36 percent still favor it. Among white voter, 54 percent are against, compared to 43 percent of proponents. An equal share of African-Americans and Latinos - 76 percent - oppose it.

Asked about dangers immigrants pose, 80 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of Republicans said undocumented individuals are just as likely as U.S. citizens to commit crimes; 42 percent of conservatives and 59 percent of Trump's supporters disagreed.

"The differences between registered voters who support Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in their characterizations of undocumented immigrants, support for the U.S.-Mexico border wall and priorities for dealing with illegal immigration largely mirror partisan differences on these issues," researchers wrote.

They added, "But among Trump backers in particular, there are some notable differences in these views by strength of support for the candidate."

What Latinos Think

Three-quarters of Hispanics said undocumented immigrants are as likely as U.S. citizens to commit serious crimes; two-thirds of whites agreed. Eight-six percent of Latinos said those living in the U.S. illegally are as honest and hardworking as American citizens, falling in line with the consensus of both major political parties.

Nearly 80 percent of Latinos and Democrats said immigrants fill jobs that American citizens do not want; 63 percent of Republicans agreed.

Immigration in the 2016 Presidential Election

Clinton has committed to introducing comprehensive immigration reform within her first 100 days in office. While the former secretary of state has not made immigration a cornerstone issue of her campaign, she still receives near 90 percent support nationwide from Latinos.

Trump chipped away at Clinton's lead this week by backtracking on a vow to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the country. Most Trump supporters still view immigration as a big problem, and

On Wednesday, the New York businessman told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he would grant exceptions to some undocumented individuals but fell short of committing to a pathway to citizenship.

"No citizenship. Let me go a step further - they'll pay back-taxes, they have to pay taxes, there's no amnesty, as such, there's no amnesty, but we work with them," Trump said.

A day later Trump reverted back to blocking any immigration reform measures allowing immigrants to stay. Trump did not clarify if he is still committed to creating a deportation task force.