Majority of Americans Demand ICE Reform or Abolition Following Minneapolis Shootings
Following the tragic deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a striking 72 percent of Americans are calling for either a complete overhaul or the outright abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, according to a recent poll.
The survey, conducted by NBC News Decision Desk, indicates that 43 percent of respondents advocate for reforming ICE, while 29 percent believe it should be dismantled entirely. In stark contrast, only 29 percent support maintaining the agency's current operations.
Political affiliations reveal a significant divide: 71 percent of Republicans favor keeping ICE as is, while a mere 2 percent of Democrats share that sentiment.
When asked about ICE's methods, 67 percent of participants felt that the agency's actions had “gone too far.” Only 23 percent deemed their approach appropriate, and a mere 10 percent thought they had not gone far enough.
Disapproval of ICE's conduct stands at 66 percent, with only 34 percent expressing support for the agency's operations.
Moreover, a concerning 62 percent of respondents expressed distrust regarding the fairness and transparency of investigations into the shootings of Good and Pretti.
President Trump's approval rating has also taken a hit, dropping to 39 percent nationally, down from 42 percent in December. In Minnesota, his approval fell to 40 percent, a decline of 5 percent since last summer.
In the recent presidential election, Trump lost Minnesota to Democrat Kamala Harris by a margin of 50.92 percent to 46.68 percent.
A state-specific poll from NBC News Decision Desk/KARE 11/Minnesota Star Tribune highlights the unpopularity of Trump's immigration policies. Among Minnesotans, 57 percent strongly disapprove of ICE's actions in their state, with an additional 7 percent somewhat disapproving. Only 23 percent support the agency's operations.
The sentiments regarding ICE's tactics align closely with national polling results. When asked if ICE should continue its current patrols or undergo reform, only 31 percent of Minnesotans believed the agency was functioning adequately. Conversely, 43 percent called for reform, while 10 percent advocated for its abolition.
Returning to Trump, 60 percent of local residents feel that he and his administration bear some responsibility for the unrest witnessed over the past five weeks, as confrontations between activists and federal forces have become increasingly common amid harsh winter conditions.
In response to Pretti's death in late January, Trump convened crisis talks with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and recalled Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino to California. He also enlisted border czar Tom Homan to take charge.
Homan has attempted to adopt a more conciliatory approach, ordering 700 agents to stand down and advocating for improved collaboration between federal and state law enforcement. He emphasized prioritizing the apprehension of criminal illegal immigrants rather than conducting widespread roundups of undocumented migrants, a strategy favored by Bovino.
As midterm elections approach in November, Trump is acutely aware of the necessity to maintain public support to avoid a potential blue wave at the polls.
Perhaps most troubling for the president is that NBC’s national poll reveals that 65 percent of U.S. citizens believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, just over a year into his second term.
