ICE tactics are becoming a political liability for Trump

Public support for aggressive ICE operations has weakened after recent deadly encounters during protests, and the administration has moved to place a border official on the ground in Minnesota while facing possible congressional objections to funding.

There is growing concern that the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement is losing public backing after recent fatal encounters linked to protests. The White House and senior officials initially defended agency actions and characterized protesters as threats. Polling this month shows notable disapproval of how ICE is handling its mission. Lawmakers in the Senate are responding with threats to withhold funding unless reforms are addressed. Key facts: - Senior administration figures quickly characterized recent incidents involving ICE and protesters as attacks on law enforcement, while some external reporting and video have raised questions about those accounts. - Multiple January polls reported sizable public disapproval of ICE’s conduct, including a New York Times/Siena finding that 63% of registered voters disapproved, a Reuters/Ipsos result saying 59% thought ICE went too far, and a Politico/Public First finding that 34% of 2024 Trump voters disapproved of the deportation campaign’s implementation. - President Trump announced that border official Tom Homan would take charge of ICE operations in Minnesota, a move widely seen as shifting on-the-ground leadership. - Senate Democrats have warned they may block the next federal funding resolution unless significant reforms to ICE are included, creating the prospect of a government funding standoff in the near term. Summary: Public support for the current ICE enforcement approach has weakened, and the administration has adjusted operational leadership in Minnesota. The issue has already prompted political pushback in Congress, with Democrats threatening to block funding unless reforms are included. Whether this will lead to changes in tactics is undetermined at this time.