Recent polling data indicates a significant shift in public trust regarding President Donald Trump's immigration policies. According to Harry Enten, CNN's chief data analyst, a Pew Research poll from November 2024 showed that 53% of Americans trusted Trump on immigration, while 46% did not. Current data reveals that 58% of Americans now express distrust in Trump's immigration agenda, with only 41% maintaining confidence in it.
Enten noted that this represents a substantial change in public opinion. He stated, "No longer is this pillar of Donald Trump support something he can count on anymore. American people have, simply put, lost the trust—or Donald Trump has lost the trust of the American people on immigration."
The favorability ratings for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency have also declined. In July 2018, ICE had a favorability rating slightly above water among all voters. However, a Marquette University Law School poll conducted in January 2026 found that 60% of Americans disapprove of ICE's work, with independent voters showing a 42-point drop in favorability.
Additionally, a recent Fox News poll indicated that 53% of Americans believe local governments should manage immigration enforcement, contrasting with 46% who support cooperation with ICE. This marks a reversal from the previous year when 51% favored ICE cooperation.
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on these findings. The report also notes that federal immigration agents have been involved in multiple fatalities since Trump took office in January 2025, with 11 individuals shot and killed, including American citizens, and 52 deaths reported in ICE custody from January 2025 to June 2026, according to Human Rights Watch.