A new YouGov poll shows that a majority of Americans disapprove of how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates, amid growing criticism of the mass-deportation policies carried out by President Donald Trump’s administration. According to the survey, 53% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the agency’s performance, while only 39% voiced support—reflecting a sharp divide in U.S. public opinion regarding the role of the federal agency.
The poll, published last Friday, comes as the Trump administration intensifies deportation operations in major Democrat-led cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. These operations have included raids targeting sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and workplaces, sparking widespread debate about the legality and humanity of these measures.
The results also revealed that 55% of Americans believe ICE sometimes or often detains U.S. citizens or immigrants with legal residency. Meanwhile, 61% say the agency arrests individuals who have not committed violations related to immigration or customs laws. Additionally, 52% of respondents described ICE’s methods as “too harsh,” compared to 26% who said they were appropriate and only 11% who felt they were insufficient.
Rising Public Concern Intensifies Debate Over ICE Practices
Concerns over mistreatment were also reflected in the findings, as 46% of Americans said they were very or somewhat worried that someone they know could be mistreated by ICE. In contrast, 47% said they were not very concerned or not concerned at all.
These results come in a charged political climate. The Trump administration faced intense backlash after deploying thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles last June in response to widespread protests against immigration policies. Reports estimated that between 4 and 6 million people participated in nationwide demonstrations, highlighting the scale of public anger toward the agency’s practices.
Amid these numbers, calls for reevaluating ICE’s role are growing—especially ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, where immigration policy remains one of the most divisive issues among American voters.