Public opinion on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is undergoing a dramatic shift, as new polling reveals a reversal in support for the agency.
Why It Matters
It comes after Trump sent 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in response to reported violence against law enforcement, specifically ICE agents carrying out deportation raids in the city.
Since then, there has been widespread backlash against President Donald Trump‘s decision to send in troops, with nationwide protests taking place over the weekend that were attended by an estimated 4 to 6 million people. And polls show that public opinion may be shifting in response.
What To Know
According to the latest YouGov/Economist poll, conducted between June 13 and 16 among 1,512 adults, ICE’s net favorability rating currently stands at -5 points, with 42 percent holding a favorable opinion, and 47 percent holding an unfavorable opinion.
That is down from a week ago, when a survey by the same pollsters put ICE’s net favorability at +2 points, with 45 percent holding a favorable opinion, and 43 percent holding an unfavorable opinion.
Both polls had a margin of error of between 3.3 and 3.5 percentage points.
Since the protests erupted in Los Angeles, Trump’s approval rating on immigration has dropped sharply, with multiple polls showing a consistent decline.
Nate Silver’s tracker shows Trump’s net approval on immigration has fallen by 7 points since June 8, dropping from +4 to -3. G. Elliott Morris’ tracker reflects a similar trend, with a 5-point decline over the same period—from +4 to +1.
Wider national polls reveal an even steeper slide. An Echelon Insights survey found that in May, 53 percent of Americans approved of Trump’s handling of immigration, compared to 45 percent who disapproved—a net approval of +8 percent. By June, approval had fallen to 47 percent, with disapproval climbing to 51 percent, flipping the net rating to -4 percent. That marks a 12-point drop in just one month.
The Ipsos/Reuters poll recorded a comparable shift. In May, Trump’s net approval stood at +2 percent (47 percent approve, 45 percent disapprove). In the latest poll, only 44 percent approved while 49 percent disapproved, dropping him to -5 percent.
Similarly, the YouGov/Economist poll shows that Trump’s immigration approval rating fell by 10 points in just one week. Last week, 49 percent approved and 45 percent disapproved of his handling of immigration—a +2 percent net rating. In the latest results, approval dropped to 44 percent, and disapproval rose to 52 percent, turning his net approval to -8 percent.
The same YouGov/Economist poll offers insight into the shift in public sentiment. Only 41 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to manage the protests, while 48 percent disapprove.
Approval for the protests themselves is also slightly higher than opposition—45 percent support the anti-ICE demonstrations, compared to 44 percent who disapprove. Trump’s overall response to the protests fares poorly as well: 41 percent approve, while 48 percent disapprove.
Despite the broader decline, Trump still receives support for specific immigration enforcement policies. A YouGov/CBS News poll conducted June 4–6 found that 54 percent of Americans back his deportation program targeting undocumented immigrants—outpacing his ratings on the economy (42 percent) and inflation (39 percent). Additionally, 51 percent approve of ICE conducting searches.
Further polls underscore that support. An RMG Research survey found 58 percent of voters back the deportation efforts, while Insider Advantage reported that 59 percent approve of Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, while voters largely back deportation efforts, polls still suggest that voters don’t approve of the way Trump is carrying out his program.
The CBS/YouGov poll found that 56 percent disapprove of how Trump’s mass deportation program is being implemented. And a separate YouGov survey found only 39 percent approve of the administration’s overall approach to deportations, while 50 percent disapprove.
His military deployment is even more divisive. A June 9-10 YouGov poll found only 34 percent of Americans support sending Marines to Los Angeles, while 47 percent disapprove. A majority—56 percent—say state and local governments, not the federal government, should handle the situation.
What People Are Saying
“At this point, Trump has moved policy noticeably beyond what public opinion has sanctioned,” G Elliott Morris said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
In a blog post, he added: “The events of the last week mark an acute degradation in the rule of law and constitutional protections for free speech in America.”
What Happens Next
With immigration still a hot topic across the country, approval ratings for both ICE and the president are likely to continue fluctuating.
The post Support for ICE Flips appeared first on Newsweek.
