Poll: Americans say ICE is "too forceful" — and support protests against the agency

Americans now disapprove of ICE and support protests against the agency, according to a new poll conducted the same day a federal officer fatally shot a 37-year-old mother in Minneapolis.Why it matters: President Trump's immigration crackdown is a cornerstone of his agenda, but ICE and Homeland Security tactics have repeatedly sparked protests and legal challenges. The agency's net approval fell 30 percentage points in a year.Driving the news: A YouGov poll of over 2,600 U.S. adults on Jan. 7, found people don't like the way ICE operates.About 52% either somewhat or strongly disapproved of how ICE was handling its job, compared to 39% who somewhat or strongly approved.Just 27% said the agency's tactics were "about right" compared to 51% who called them "too forceful". Another 10% said they were "not forceful enough."A 44% plurality of adults approved of recent ICE protests, while 42% disapproved.By the numbers: ICE had a +16 net approval rating last February at the start of Trump's second term, according to YouGov.That rating cratered over the year to -14 as the administration's immigration policies — including Stephen Miller's plan to arrest ideally 3,000 people per day — took hold.Zoom in: The YouGov poll also showed nearly 6 in 10 Americans (58%) believe there's a war or conflict happening in U.S. cities.Just 26% say there's no war or conflict happening.Older Americans were most likely to perceive conflict: 74% of those 65+ see a conflict or a war playing out.Of note: Meanwhile, support for abolishing ICE has surged.In September 2024, just 19% supported abolishing the agency, according to survey data from research firm Civiqs, while 66% opposed.This month, 42% support abolishing the agency and 49.5% oppose.Abolishing ICE has become a consensus view among Democrats, per the Civiqs data, with 69% of Democrats now supporting the idea.Zoom out: The Department of Homeland Security, which houses ICE, consistently ranks amongst Americans least favorite federal agencies, according to Pew Research Center's 2025 annual popularity poll.Republicans viewed DHS more positively in 2025 than in 2024, President Biden's last year in office.Unsurprisingly, DHS' favorability levels completely flipped for Democrats.Go deeper: Trump's immigration approval ratings sink to new lows