According to a new poll, while a majority of voters seem to approve of President Trump’s approach to border security, many are not satisfied with his handling of immigration issues. The poll indicates that a growing number of individuals—some even from his own support base—consider U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be “too aggressive” in its methods.
When asked about how well ICE adheres to the president’s promises regarding illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds, responses were mixed. About 29% of voters believe ICE consistently enforces these priorities, while 25% think it does so most of the time. Meanwhile, 19% say it’s only sometimes, and 27% think ICE rarely follows through. More Republicans (45%) than Democrats (17%) or independents (15%) affirm that ICE “almost always” keeps its promises.
However, there’s been a notable pushback against ICE’s tactics, with 59% of voters describing the agency as too aggressive—a substantial increase since last July. This perspective seems to be gaining traction particularly among centrist demographics. Notably, perceptions of ICE’s aggressiveness climbed by 14 points among white voters without a college degree, 19 points among moderate voters, and an impressive 22 points among independents. There’s also been a rise in concerns from some right-leaning groups, including Trump supporters and Republican women.
In terms of the concerns raised, most voters who labeled ICE as too aggressive focused on their methods rather than their targets. Around 44% believe they “use too much force,” while 23% think ICE “targets the wrong people.” Others felt both were issues.
The poll was conducted from January 23 to 26, coinciding with a tragic shooting incident involving federal agents at a protest in Minneapolis.
Border security is clearly a priority for Trump, and right now, it’s the one area where he enjoys substantial support, garnering approval from 52% of voters—an uptick from 51% in December but a drop from a peak of 57% last September. Among Democrats, 17% back Trump on border security; for immigration issues, that drops to just 9%. Republican support is much higher at 89% for border security and 85% for immigration.
Forty-five percent of voters approve of Trump’s approach to immigration, while 55% disapprove. This figure remains steady from last month. His highest approval rating on immigration occurred in July 2025, reaching 48%. Over the course of his tenure, disapproval has only briefly dipped below 50%, hitting 48% in April 2025.
“This poll illustrates something we’ve noticed for years: border security and immigration are often seen as distinct issues,” noted Daron Shaw, a Republican pollster. “Generally, Republicans—and the president—are viewed as effective on border security, but public opinion is more varied when it comes to handling illegal immigration.”
Currently, Trump holds a 44% approval rating for his overall performance, while 56% disapprove, similar to his December standing.
There’s been a noteworthy increase in support for abolishing ICE, leaping from 18% in 2018 to 36% today. Much of this rise can be traced back to white voters, women, independents, and Democrats. The percentage opposed to ICE’s abolition remains unchanged at 42%, but those who are undecided decreased significantly.
Views on whether local governments should be mandated to work with ICE are nearly split, with 49% in favor and 50% opposed. Interestingly, support among Republicans (85%) is comparable to Democrats (83%), but independents have a starkly different perspective, opposing cooperation by a significant margin.
The Fox News poll was carried out between January 23-26, 2026, involving 1,005 registered voters sampled randomly from national voter files, with responses gathered through both live interviews and online surveys. The overall margin of error is ±3 percentage points.
