A growing share of Americans say federal immigration enforcement is leaving their neighborhoods feeling more tense, not safer, according to a new national survey released this week.
A poll conducted by CNN found that 51 percent of respondents believe the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in U.S. cities has made communities less safe. By contrast, 31 percent said ICE operations improve safety, while 18 percent reported seeing little to no impact.
The findings come as Donald Trump continues a renewed push on immigration enforcement during his second term. Public opinion on the administration’s handling of immigration remains divided, with 58 percent of those surveyed saying they disapprove of Trump’s approach and 42 percent approving. Those numbers mirror results from a similar poll conducted last summer.
The survey also measured views of Kristi Noem, who currently leads the Department of Homeland Security. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they disapprove of her performance, while 38 percent said they approve. A small share indicated they had no opinion.
Tensions surrounding immigration enforcement have been especially visible in Minnesota, where DHS recently launched what it described as its largest single-state operation to date. The deployment has drawn national attention following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, during an ICE operation. Federal officials have said the officer involved acted in self-defense, while local leaders have disputed that account based on video evidence.
According to the poll, 56 percent of respondents described the shooting as an inappropriate use of force, compared with 26 percent who said it was appropriate.
The CNN survey was conducted January 9 through January 12 among 1,209 U.S. adults and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
