President Donald Trump got more bad news on Tuesday, with a new YouGov poll that shows catastrophic numbers for public approval of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In fact, even one in four Republican voters now support abolishing the agency, according to the new data — and a "record high" among Americans in general, noted Zeteo News' Prem Thakker on X.
"Support for abolishing ICE has hit a new high in this week's Economist / YouGov poll. Half (50%) of Americans now somewhat or strongly support abolishing ICE. Only 39% oppose abolishing the agency," said the report. "This marks the first time support has reached 50% in YouGov polling. Support for abolishing ICE has been steadily growing since January. At the same time, opposition to abolishing ICE has fallen since the start of the year, and now sits at an all-time low."
Democrats overwhelmingly support abolishing the agency, with 77 percent. Among independents, abolishing ICE is supported by a 52-35 margin, and even among Republicans, the figure is now at 23 percent, meaning one in four of them want the agency dismantled.
Support has also surged for policies to reform ICE, in the event the agency continues to operate in its current form.
"If ICE is not abolished, majorities of Americans would like to limit ICE officers' ability to act with anonymity," said the report. "Three-quarters (75%) of Americans say that ICE officers should be required to wear uniforms that identify them as part of ICE. Only 14% say they should not. Majorities of Democrats (92%), Independents (77%), and Republicans (57%) support uniform requirements for ICE. A majority (59%) of Americans also say ICE agents should not be allowed to wear masks that hide their faces."
This comes after months of turmoil as Trump and his Department of Homeland Security has surged ICE and Border Patrol agents to cities, leading to protests that have only swelled as numerous U.S. citizens are wrongfully arrested and two people were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis. It also comes as federal judges have lost patience with ICE's lack of cooperation with court orders.
