Two national polls from Quinnipiac and Ipsos show steep declines in public support for ICE and growing calls to remove Kristi Noem from her DHS role. Quinnipiac (1,191 registered voters; ±3.6) found 63% disapprove of ICE and 58% want Noem removed; Ipsos (1,020 adults; ±3.7) found 62% say ICE is going "too far." Both surveys link the backlash to two Minneapolis shootings — notably the widely viewed Jan. 24 video of Alex Pretti — and show Independents moving away from the administration.
ICE Approval Plummets in New Polls — 58% Say Kristi Noem Should Be Removed
Kristi Noem
Two recent national polls paint a bleak picture for the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement: a clear majority of Americans now disapprove of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and a 58% plurality says Kristi Noem should be removed from her Department of Homeland Security role, according to the surveys.
What the Polls Found
The Quinnipiac University poll (Jan. 29–Feb. 2; 1,191 registered voters; margin of error ±3.6 points) found 63% of voters disapproved of how ICE is enforcing immigration laws and just 34% approved. The Ipsos poll (Jan. 30–Feb. 1; 1,020 adults; margin of error ±3.7 points) reported that 62% of respondents believe ICE is going "too far" in its dealings with undocumented immigrants — up from 58% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll the previous week.
Quinnipiac poll
Kristi Noem's Standing
Quinnipiac also asked whether Kristi Noem, identified in these reports as a Department of Homeland Security official, should remain in her post. Fifty-eight percent said she should be removed, 34% said she should stay, and 8% were unsure.
Shootings, Protests, And Public Reaction
Both surveys linked worsening public opinion to two fatal Minneapolis shootings that sparked nationwide protests and court challenges: the Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Good and the Jan. 24 shooting of Alex Pretti. The Pretti shooting in particular — widely circulated on video — appears to have driven sharp declines in support for immigration enforcement and for the administration’s explanations of the incidents.
Q poll
Quinnipiac found 61% of respondents said the administration was not giving an honest account of the Pretti shooting, and 62% said the shooting was "not justified." Ipsos reported 55% of Americans judged the Pretti shooting an excessive use of force; 67% said they had watched video of the incident.
Political Breakdown
Partisan splits were wide. Trump retained strong approval among Republicans but remained deeply unpopular with Democrats and was sliding among Independents. In the latest Quinnipiac results, 37% approved of President Trump’s overall job performance and 56% disapproved. On specific issues, his ratings were similarly weak: the economy (39% approve, 56% disapprove) and immigration (38% approve, 59% disapprove). Independents trended particularly negative across these measures.
Administration Moves And Public Reaction
The administration has made personnel changes in response to unrest: Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino was reassigned from Minnesota operations and border czar Tom Homan was sent to oversee the situation. Department officials also announced new measures — including a plan to deploy body cameras to officers in Minneapolis — but those steps have not quieted public concern, according to the polls.
Taken together, the two surveys indicate growing public frustration with immigration enforcement, rising skepticism about the administration’s account of recent shootings, and a potential political risk for GOP efforts to hold or win moderate and independent voters heading into the midterm cycle.
Note: This article summarizes the findings reported by Quinnipiac and Ipsos and the way those polls were presented in media coverage. The polls identify Kristi Noem as serving in a Department of Homeland Security role for the purposes of the survey results cited here.
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