Public Opinion Polls Indicate Decreased Approval for ICE Actions and Trump Administration's Immigration Policies Following Minneapolis Incidents

Public Approval Declines for ICE and Trump Administration Amid Fatal Shootings

Polls conducted in January and early February 2026 reveal a significant decline in public approval for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and the Trump administration's immigration policies. This shift in sentiment occurred particularly after two fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis. A majority of Americans surveyed expressed concerns about ICE tactics, perceived a reduction in city safety due to enforcement actions, and viewed the recent fatal shootings as inappropriate or unjustified uses of force.

Context of Events and Polling

The pronounced decline in public support was precipitated by two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On January 7, Renee Good (also known as Renee Nicole Good) was fatally shot by an ICE agent. Approximately 17 days later, Veterans Administration nurse Alex Pretti was also killed by federal agents. These incidents unfolded amidst ongoing federal immigration enforcement operations and protests in Hennepin County, Minnesota. This period also saw an instance on January 13, 2026, where federal agents deployed a flash-bang grenade during a protest, causing individuals to disperse.

Public opinion surveys were conducted by multiple reputable organizations, including CNN, Quinnipiac University, Ipsos, New York Times/Siena, Wall Street Journal, CBS News/YouGov, NPR/Marist, and NBC News/SurveyMonkey, primarily spanning from January 9 to February 6, 2026.

Public Perception of ICE Operations

• A CNN poll (Jan 9-12) revealed 51% of Americans believe ICE enforcement operations reduce city safety, while 31% think they enhance security.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) indicated 51% of voters believed the administration’s approach to immigration made the country less safe, compared to 35% who believed it made it safer.
• A CBS News/YouGov survey (Jan 14-16) reported a slight majority of Americans believed ICE operations contributed to making communities less safe.

• A CNN poll reported 51% of respondents believed the fatal shooting of Renee Good indicated broader systemic issues within ICE operations.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) found 59% of voters viewed recent ICE-involved shootings in Minneapolis as a sign of broader operational problems within ICE.
• A New York Times/Siena poll (Jan 12-17) showed 61% of voters believed ICE's tactics had "gone too far," with only 26% considering them "about right."
• An Ipsos poll (Jan 30-Feb 1) indicated 62% of Americans believed ICE efforts regarding unauthorized immigration went "too far," an increase from 58% the previous week.
• Another poll found 58% believed ICE's tactics were "too forceful," an increase from 53% earlier in the month.
• An NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll (Jan 27-Feb 6) reported that nearly 75% of respondents expressed a desire for ICE to be reformed or abolished, and a majority believed immigration officers had exceeded their authority.

• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) showed 63% of voters disapproved of ICE's enforcement of immigration laws.
• Other polls indicated 57% of Americans disapproved of ICE's job handling (37% approved), and 63% disapproved of ICE's job performance (36% approved).
• An NPR/Marist poll found 60% of Americans disapproved of the performance of federal immigration agents.
• The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll showed ICE's approval rating at 34%.

Views on Fatal Shootings and Investigations

• A CNN poll (Jan 9-12) found 56% of Americans viewed the shooting as an inappropriate use of force, while 26% considered it appropriate.
• A Quinnipiac University poll (Jan) reported 53% of registered voters believed the shooting was not justified, while 35% viewed it as justified.

• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) indicated 62% of voters deemed Pretti's shooting "not justified."
• An Ipsos poll (Jan 30-Feb 1) found 55% of Americans considered Pretti’s shooting an excessive use of force.
• Another poll indicated 48% of Americans considered the shooting not justified, compared to 20% who said it was justified. Among the 58% of Americans who had viewed video of the incident, 63% believed it was not justified.

• A CNN poll (Jan) indicated 62% of respondents expressed limited or no trust in the federal government to conduct a fair and thorough inquiry into the Minneapolis shooting.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) reported 61% of voters stated the Trump administration was not providing an honest account of the Pretti incident, and approximately 8 in 10 voters called for an independent investigation into the shooting.
• The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll found 62% of respondents expressed a lack of trust in the fairness and transparency of federal investigations into the deaths of Good and Pretti, particularly after reports of local authorities being excluded from probes and federal prosecutors resigning due to pressure.

• The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll reported 63% of respondents disapproved of immigration agents wearing masks.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) found over 90% believed ICE agents should be required to wear body cameras, and about 60% thought agents should not be permitted to wear masks.
• 58% of respondents in the NBC poll disagreed with the statement that law-abiding citizens have "nothing to fear" from immigration agents.

Public Opinion on Trump Administration's Immigration Policies

• A CNN poll (Jan 9-12) found 52% of Americans believed former President Trump's deportation efforts had gone too far, an increase from 45% in February of the previous year.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan) reported 52% believed efforts to deport undocumented immigrants had gone too far.
• A CBS News/YouGov survey indicated a majority perceived ICE operations as excessively harsh, and there was a growing belief that the Trump administration's deportation program targeted a broader population than solely dangerous criminals. Overall support for the deportation program reportedly decreased.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) found 6 in 10 voters characterized the administration's treatment of undocumented immigrants as "too harsh." The poll also showed 59% of voters preferred a pathway to legal status for most undocumented immigrants, compared to 34% who preferred deportation.
• A Wall Street Journal poll (Jan 8-13) indicated 54% of voters believed the deployment of ICE to U.S. cities had "gone too far."

• A CNN poll reported Trump's approval rating on immigration declined from 51% in March to 42% in recent months.
• A CBS News/YouGov survey indicated President Trump's approval rating concerning his handling of immigration had reached its lowest point in his second term.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) found 59% of voters disapproved of how President Trump handled immigration.
• A Wall Street Journal poll (Jan 8-13) indicated 52% of voters disapproved of how Trump was handling immigration.
• The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll (Jan 27-Feb 6) reported 49% of adults strongly disapproved of Trump's handling of border security and immigration, an increase from 38% last summer and 34% in April. Overall, 60% of those surveyed after Pretti's death disapproved of Trump's actions on border security and immigration.

• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) found 56% of voters perceived the deployment of ICE agents in Minneapolis as primarily for political rather than law enforcement reasons.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's Approval

Polls also assessed public opinion on Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem:

• A CNN poll reported 38% approval of her performance, while 61% disapproved.
• A Quinnipiac poll (Jan 29-Feb 2) showed 58% of voters believed she should be removed from her position.
• Following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, senior administration officials, including then-homeland security secretary Kristi Noem, identified both individuals as "domestic terrorists," though President Trump later distanced himself from these accusations.

Partisan Divides in Public Opinion

Significant partisan divides were evident in the poll results:

• Fatal Shootings: Over 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents viewed the shooting of Renee Good as inappropriate or not justified, while among Republican-aligned adults, 56% considered it appropriate. For the Alex Pretti shooting, 83% of Democrats viewed it as not justified, while half of Independents did. Republicans were more likely to view the Pretti shooting as justified (44%).
• ICE Enforcement and City Safety: Over 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents asserted ICE enforcement diminished city safety, contrasting with 67% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who believed it made cities safer.
• ICE Tactics: Most Democrats (90%) and Independents (62%) stated ICE's tactics were "too forceful." Among Republicans, 49% found tactics "about right."
• Protests Against ICE: Most Democrats (79%) approved of protests against ICE actions, while 71% of Republicans disapproved.
• Trump's Policies: Strong majorities of Democratic-aligned adults and true independents viewed Trump's immigration policies and deportation efforts as excessive. Republicans and MAGA supporters continued to show strong backing for the deportation program.
• Republican Base Division: The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll identified a division within the Republican base regarding immigration policies. For instance, 74% of "MAGA Republicans" strongly approved of federal agents wearing masks, compared to 46% of "traditional Republicans."

Administration's Response and Future Measures

In response to the public concern and events, President Trump adjusted the leadership of the Minneapolis operation and ordered the withdrawal of 700 federal officers from the city. He indicated a need for a "softer touch," while emphasizing continued toughness against "hard criminals."

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's efforts, citing survey data that she stated showed support for deporting "criminal illegal aliens" and a majority supporting deporting all undocumented individuals. She confirmed the administration's prioritization of deporting individuals who have committed crimes and are in the country without authorization.

An immigration policy expert suggested the administration might implement an "operational pause" to retool its strategy and public messaging.

The planned deployment of body cameras to federal immigration officers in Minneapolis was noted as a measure that could offer clearer perspectives on enforcement actions. Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, defended the agency's actions during testimony before the House of Representatives homeland security committee.

Additional Findings

• Concerns about crackdowns on protest actions against deportations (47%) were higher than concerns about protests escalating (37%).
• 47% of voters reported knowing someone living in fear due to the Trump administration’s deportation policies.
• A majority of respondents (63%) in the NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll stated that the federal government had acted excessively in disregarding or overriding local or state governments.
• The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll noted public reliance on social media videos as the most accurate source of information for immigration arrests and clashes (34%), followed by national news accounts (24%).
• An Associated Press study found that at least two dozen ICE agents had faced criminal charges since 2020, including charges related to physical and sexual abuse, corruption, and other abuses of authority.

Survey Methodology

The polls cited in these reports were conducted in January and early February 2026, utilizing various methodologies:

• CNN Polls: Conducted by SSRS, surveying U.S. adults. One specific poll (Jan 9-12) surveyed 1,209 U.S. adults with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.
• Quinnipiac University Polls: Surveyed registered voters nationwide. One poll (Jan) surveyed 1,133 registered voters (margin of error +/- 3.7 percentage points). Another (Jan 29-Feb 2) surveyed 1,191 registered voters (margin of error +/- 3.6 percentage points).
• Ipsos Poll: (Jan 30-Feb 1) Surveyed 1,020 U.S. adults nationwide (margin of error +/- 3.7 percentage points).
• CBS News/YouGov Survey: (Jan 14-16) Involved a nationally representative sample of 2,523 U.S. adults, weighted according to U.S. Census data, with a margin of error of ±2.3 points.
• New York Times/Siena Poll: (Jan 12-17) Surveyed 1,625 registered voters.
• Wall Street Journal Poll: (Jan 8-13) Surveyed 1,500 registered voters.
• NBC News Decision Desk Poll (SurveyMonkey): (Jan 27-Feb 6) Surveyed 21,995 adults online, with a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points.