A new national survey shows a majority of American voters are unhappy with how Immigration and Customs Enforcement is carrying out its work, adding fresh fuel to an already heated national debate over immigration enforcement. According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday, 57 percent of respondents said they oppose the way ICE “is enforcing immigration laws.”
Forty percent said they support the agency’s approach, while 3 percent said they were unsure or did not offer a response. The findings land at a tense moment. Since beginning his second term, Donald Trump and his administration have pursued tougher immigration measures that have sparked protests and legal challenges in multiple states.
Public frustration intensified last week after an ICE officer shot and killed a woman identified as Renee Good in Minneapolis. The incident drew renewed attention to enforcement tactics and prompted demonstrations across Minnesota.
Over the weekend, protesters gathered to challenge what they see as an aggressive expansion of immigration operations under the Department of Homeland Security. On Monday evening, tensions escalated outside the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, where demonstrators and federal officers clashed. Authorities deployed tear gas and fired pepper projectiles after fireworks were thrown toward officers.
State and local leaders in Minnesota have since filed lawsuits aimed at stopping an influx of federal immigration agents in the state.
The poll also found mixed views on leadership at DHS. More than one-third of respondents said they approve of the job performance of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The Quinnipiac survey was conducted January 8 through January 12 among 1,133 registered voters nationwide and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
