The immigration policy promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has increased public rejection of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A poll found that, for the first time, support for eliminating the federal agency has reached 50%, reflecting this shift in public opinion, a trend that has intensified following the shooting deaths of U.S. civilians in immigration control operations in Minneapolis and the prolonged partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security over disputes about the agency’s funding.
The poll, conducted by YouGov, a nonpartisan data research group, between February 27 and March 2 among 1,515 adults, shows that half of those surveyed “somewhat or strongly” support the abolition of ICE, compared to 39% who oppose it. This is the first time that support has reached this threshold in the pollster’s historical series, following a steady increase since the beginning of the year.
The increase coincides with the Trump administration’s tightening of immigration policies and a political crisis in Washington: the DHS, which oversees ICE, has been partially shut down since February 13 due to disagreements in Congress over its funding.
Although calls to dismantle ICE have traditionally been driven by progressive Democrats, the new data reveals that support has expanded beyond that base. Seventy-seven percent of Democrats support abolition, but so do 52% of independents. Among Republicans, 68% remain opposed, although 23% now support eliminating the agency, the highest figure recorded among the party’s voters.
Even among those who do not support the elimination of ICE, there is broad consensus on the need to limit the ability of its agents to operate anonymously. Three out of four respondents (75%) believe that officers should wear uniforms that clearly identify them as members of the agency, while only 14% oppose this requirement. Support for this measure is widespread across all parties: 92% among Democrats, 77% among independents, and 57% among Republicans. Likewise, 59% of respondents believe that agents should not hide their faces during operations, and only 31% are in favor of allowing it.
On the other hand, the analysis highlights that a majority of Americans (58%) say that ICE uses excessive force during its operations, an increase of 7% since October. Likewise, only a quarter (27%) of those surveyed believe that the people being deported by ICE are criminals, and 68% say that the shootings that killed U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti during immigration raids should be investigated.
The change also reflects a deterioration in public perception of the president’s handling of immigration. A recent NBC survey showed a 49% disapproval rating for his handling of border security and immigration, an issue that has historically strengthened his support among conservative voters.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced tense questioning in Congress this week, where she was pressured to retract her statements labeling Good and Pretti as “domestic terrorists.” Noem defended her position by claiming she received chaotic reports from the field. Lawmakers pointed out that ICE and Border Patrol officials had previously testified that there was no evidence to support that characterization.
The controversy has also affected other officials. Gregory Bovino, former face of the federal Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, is the subject of state and federal investigations for alleged misconduct during the operations.
Despite growing public support, abolishing ICE faces significant obstacles in Congress, which is currently controlled by Republicans. Experts say it is unlikely that such an initiative will succeed in the short term. However, the shift in public opinion could influence campaign strategies ahead of the midterm elections in November.
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