Opposition is also building to the expansion of ICE operations. Fifty-three percent now reject broader efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, up from 46 percent in October. Partisan alignment remains stark: 88 percent of Democrats object to expansion compared with 81 percent of Republicans who favor it. A 56 percent majority of independents are opposed.
Mixed attitudes on wholesale deportation
Opinions are narrower on whether every undocumented immigrant should be removed from the country. Half of Americans back deporting the estimated 14 million people in the United States without authorization, while 48 percent oppose the idea. Support is strongest among white adults (58 percent) and lowest among Hispanic (64 percent opposed), Black (58 percent opposed) and Asian and Pacific Islander adults (56 percent opposed).
Even among those endorsing mass deportation, many question the current pace and approach. Fifty-eight percent of adults say President Donald Trump is going “too far” in removing undocumented immigrants, versus 12 percent who think he is “not going far enough” and 28 percent who feel he is “handling it about right.”
Skepticism also extends to the profile of those being expelled. Seven in 10 respondents believe that most immigrants deported since January 2025 were not violent criminals; one-third say “hardly any” of the deportees were violent. Only 7 percent think that “nearly all” were violent offenders.
Home entry without warrants widely opposed
An ICE memo issued in May granting agents authority to enter homes without a judge’s warrant is at odds with public opinion. Eighty percent of adults, including solid majorities across party lines, say federal officers should be required to obtain judicial approval before forcing entry. Twenty percent consider agency authorization sufficient.
Fallout from Minnesota shootings
The fatal shootings of intensive-care nurse Alex Pretti on Jan. 24 and mother of three Renee Good on Jan. 7 during enforcement actions in Minneapolis have intensified scrutiny. Nationwide, 54 percent of adults report feeling angry (37 percent) or upset (17 percent) about how immigration enforcement unfolded in Minnesota. Anger is highest among Democrats (72 percent) and lowest among Republicans, 47 percent of whom say they are “not concerned.”
Concerns extend to personal networks: 42 percent of Americans are at least somewhat worried a person they know could be detained, including 33 percent who fear this could happen to a close friend or family member. Anxiety is notably higher among Hispanic (60 percent), Black (55 percent) and Asian and Pacific Islander adults (53 percent) than among white adults (32 percent).
Imagem: Internet
Presidential and partisan metrics
President Trump’s standing on immigration has sagged to its lowest point of his second term. Forty percent approve and 58 percent disapprove of his overall handling of immigration, an 18-point deficit and a slight decline from October. His rating on the situation at the U.S.–Mexico border is somewhat stronger but still negative, with 47 percent approval and 50 percent disapproval.
When respondents were asked whom they trust more to manage immigration policy, 38 percent named Trump, 34 percent pointed to congressional Democrats, and 24 percent trusted neither side.
Views on leadership and policy proposals
The poll measured sentiment toward Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE. By 44 percent to 23 percent, Americans favor replacing her, though a sizable 33 percent voice no opinion. Three-quarters of Democrats back her removal, while 45 percent of Republicans oppose it and 40 percent are undecided. Among independents, 45 percent support dismissal and 17 percent oppose it.
On the question of cutting federal funds to “sanctuary” jurisdictions that limit cooperation with ICE, the public leans against the idea, 46 percent to 38 percent. Eighty percent of Democrats oppose withholding funds, whereas more than seven in ten Republicans support it.
The notion of abolishing ICE outright divides the country along familiar partisan lines. Overall, 50 percent oppose eliminating the agency and 37 percent favor it. Seventy percent of Democrats support abolition, compared with 80 percent of Republicans who oppose it. Independents lean against abolition, 45 percent to 35 percent, with one-fifth undecided.
Context and methodology
Established in 2003 under the Homeland Security Act passed after the Sept. 11 attacks, ICE replaced immigration functions formerly housed in the Justice Department’s Immigration and Naturalization Service. Debate over the agency’s future intensified in 2018 during the family-separation controversy, and public attitudes have fluctuated since. Comparable findings reported by the Pew Research Center show long-term partisan polarization on immigration issues, underpinning many of the divisions reflected in the latest survey.
For this poll, Ipsos drew participants from its nationally representative online panel. Sampling errors may be higher for subgroup analyses, including party and racial or ethnic categories.
Crédito da imagem: AFP/Getty Images
