'Political albatross': CNN data guru dubs Kristi Noem serious political problem for Trump
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks at the U.S.-Mexico border near Nogales, Arizona on Feb. 4, 2026. REUTERS/Rebecca Noble
February 05, 2026
Dramatic new polling results have revealed that Americans want Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem fired and a majority oppose ICE's actions, according to CNN's data guru Thursday.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten described the attitude among voters towards ICE's harsh immigration tactics and specifically the high dissatisfaction against the Trump administration, namely Noem, who has led and carried out Trump's harsh immigration policies — and now 58% of Americans want her out of the job.
"The numbers absolutely tell astory," Enten said. "It has been a badpolitical situation for the president of the United States.And more than that, it is onlygetting worse. Just take a lookat ICE's approval rating. Imean, look at this. Andunfortunately immigration. Look,it was already low in early January, right? It was -17points. But look, after theevents of the last month, we arenow talking about -29 points,the worst it has ever been. Youlook among independents, it iseven worse than that. We aretalking about a negative 40, -40net approval rating for ICE onenforcing immigration laws. Nowonder the president of United States, the president of United States, is changing his tone.And that is because you justlook here. You see, the Americanpeople aren't just not withhim — they are on a totally otherplanet."
The results have also pointed to a serious problem for President Donald Trump.
"Yeah, there's a reason why John [Berman] stuttered over that andcouldn't figure out exactly,because the bottom line is this Kristi Noem has turned into anabsolute political albatross," Enten said.
"Look at this. Take a look here.Voters on Noem job performancedisapproved in early January50th 2% and now want her fired.Fired is up to 58%, 58% want herremoved," Enten added. "We're not just talkingabout the fact that herdisapproval rating is throughthe roof. We're now talkingabout nearly 3 in 5 Americanswho believe that Kristi Noemshould be removed from her jobas DHS secretary. No wonder Tom Homan is in there. And that isbecause Kristi Noem is a bigreason why this has turned intosuch a deepening politicalproblem for the president."