Trump Immigration Support Plummets Following Minneapolis ICE Shooting Deaths
Support for Donald Trump's immigration efforts has experienced a dramatic decline following public outrage over violent incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis, according to new polling data released this week. The figures emerge as administration officials continue to aggressively defend ICE enforcement operations that have grown increasingly dangerous in recent months.
Poll Reveals Sharp Disapproval Increase
Nearly half of all American adults now strongly disapprove of the Trump administration's handling of border security and immigration, with the NBC survey showing 49% expressing strong disapproval. This represents a significant double-digit decline in support for the president's performance on immigration compared to previous polling. Last summer, 38% strongly disapproved, while an April poll showed only 34% disapproval.
Pollsters directly link the rising disapproval rates to the shooting deaths of two US citizens in Minneapolis. Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed in separate incidents by federal agents deployed in the city. Senior administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, immediately denounced both victims as "domestic terrorists" following their deaths.
Minnesota Incidents Move Public Opinion
The NBC poll, which included nearly 22,000 adults, suggests that the Minneapolis shootings had a disproportionate impact on public perception compared to previous controversies involving immigration agents in other cities. Marc Trussler, NBC's elections analyst, noted that earlier incidents "hadn't moved the needle that much" but stated that "it is really the chaos of Minnesota that has done it."
In the week following the death of Pretti, an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital, approximately 60% of respondents said they disapproved of Trump's immigration and border policies. This decline in support on a key electoral issue mirrors Trump's diminishing overall approval ratings, with recent polls showing his support at just 39%.
Growing Hostility Toward ICE Operations
The survey reveals deep underlying hostility toward ICE, with nearly three-quarters of respondents saying they want to see the agency either reformed or abolished entirely. A vast majority believe immigration officers have gone too far in their enforcement actions, while about 63% expressed opposition to agents wearing masks during operations.
Furthermore, 58% disagreed with the proposition that regular, law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear from immigration agents. More respondents blamed violent street clashes on the administration rather than protesters, and 63% said the federal government had acted excessively in ignoring or overriding local and state governments.
Trust Issues and Political Divisions
A significant 62% majority say they do not trust the federal government to conduct fair investigations into the deaths of Good and Pretti, particularly after local investigators were excluded from the inquiries. The poll also exposes growing divisions within the Republican Party regarding immigration policy.
While 59% of traditional Republicans support investigating the agents who killed Pretti, only 38% of Trump-supporting Republicans share that position. This split emerges as administration officials continue to voice uncompromising support for ICE agents, with several leading figures asserting that agents have "absolute immunity" in their operations.
ICE Leadership Defends Agency Actions
Testifying before the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, acting ICE head Todd Lyons remained unapologetic about the agency's actions. "Let me send a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us. You will fail," he told lawmakers. "We are only getting started."
Lyons expressed resentment about comparisons between ICE conduct and the Nazi Gestapo, claiming such rhetoric puts agents at risk. In response, Democratic Representative Dan Goldman from New York told him: "I have a simple suggestion: If you don't want to be called a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one."
Pattern of Agent Misconduct
A study conducted by the Associated Press found that at least two dozen ICE agents have been charged with crimes since 2020. The wrongdoing includes patterns of physical and sexual abuse, corruption, and other abuses of authority. Most of these crimes occurred before Congress awarded the Department of Homeland Security $75 billion last year to hire additional agents.
Commentators have voiced serious concerns about the rapid expansion rate and questioned whether new recruits are being adequately vetted. The combination of increased funding, aggressive enforcement tactics, and growing public disapproval creates a volatile situation as immigration remains central to Trump's political agenda.
The Minneapolis incidents have clearly shifted public sentiment, with the poll indicating that violent enforcement actions have eroded support for immigration policies that were previously central to Trump's electoral appeal. As the administration continues its uncompromising stance, the political fallout from these shootings appears likely to influence both policy debates and electoral dynamics in the coming months.
