This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Religious Americans are sharply divided over President Donald Trump's restrictions on refugees and travel from seven Muslim-majority nations, but white evangelical Christians overwhelmingly back the policy.

A Pew Research Center poll, conducted Feb. 7-12, found that 76 percent of those identifying themselves as white and evangelical endorse the measures.

Fifty percent of white mainline Protestants support the restrictions, while 47 percent oppose them.

Black Protestants, however, overwhelmingly dislike Trump's plan, with 84 percent against it and 10 percent for it.

Protestants overall favor the stricter policy, 51 percent to 45 percent.

Most Roman Catholics also side against the change from the new administration. Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) oppose the restrictions while barely a third (36 percent) back them.

Hispanic and other minority Catholics line up solidly against the president's decree, with 81 percent against it and 14 percent in favor.

White Catholics are more evenly split,with 50 percent supporting Trump's policy and 49 percent opposing it.

The so-called "nones," religiously unaffiliated Americans, don't like the Trump plan either, 74 percent to 24 percent.

The same poll found that Americans overall disapprove of the restrictions, 59 percent to 38 percent.

Bob Mims