President Donald Trump’s approval ratings regarding his handling of illegal immigration have plummeted, with many Americans feeling that federal enforcement actions have gone too far, according to a recent national poll.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted over a weekend that coincided with a tragic incident in Minneapolis, where a federal immigration officer shot and killed a protester against enforcement actions.
This poll highlights the decline in support for Trump’s immigration policies as signs of backing for aggressive measures from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents wane.
Only 39% of U.S. adults surveyed expressed approval of the president’s immigration policies, while 53% disapproved.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that Trump’s approval on immigration issues has reached its lowest point since he returned to the White House last year. Back in February, shortly after his second inauguration, he had a 50% approval rating for his immigration stance.
Illegal immigration is expected to be a crucial topic in the upcoming 2024 elections, with Trump pledging a major increase in deportations of undocumented individuals, alongside efforts from the Republican Party to reclaim leadership in Washington.
However, two recent shootings of individuals protesting ICE’s operations have sparked national outcry and intensified political divisions over Trump’s immigration policies.
Larry Jacobs, a professor at the University of Minnesota, remarked on the decline of Trump’s once-favorable immigration approval ratings, noting that the aggressive actions from ICE have diminished support.
One Republican strategist mentioned, anonymously, that while people disapprove of illegal immigration, they are also troubled by the methods used in enforcement.
The incident involving Alex Preti, who was shot by Border Patrol while recording an immigration operation, has further complicated discussions around enforcement actions.
Initial statements from Department of Homeland Security officials suggested Preti posed a threat, leading to his death. Some government officials have labeled Preti’s actions as bordering on domestic terrorism, which has stirred even more controversy.
Video evidence shows Preti trying to assist a woman who had been subdued and sprayed with a stimulant, while witnesses assert he was holding a cellphone, not a weapon, when he was killed.
Preti’s family condemned the administration’s narrative surrounding the incident, asserting his innocence and calling for truth about what happened.
A majority of poll respondents—58%—indicated that federal immigration officials are overreaching, while a small fraction felt they weren’t doing enough. The divide seems clear, with a vast majority of Democrats and a notable portion of independents believing enforcement actions are excessive, compared to minimal concern from Republicans.
