Americans Are Turning On ICE
New polling finds a plurality of Americans now support abolishing ICE, while even fewer approve of the government agency
Less than a week ago, Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE officers in an unprovoked incident that has led to nationwide unrest, alongside the embattlement of the city of Minneapolis amid ongoing ICE raids at homes and in the streets.
Enough time has passed to allow the American public to hear the news and form an opinion, and the polls suggest the public is not thrilled with ICE, unless you are a Republican.
YouGov found that 52% of Americans disapprove of the job ICE is doing, including 85% of Democrats, 56% of Independents, and only 14% of Republicans. On the flip side, 39% approve of ICE, with Republicans being the strongest supporters of the organization at 80%.
Quinnipiac’s latest poll found results very similar to YouGov’s.
Quinnipiac found that 57% of Americans disapprove of the way ICE is handling its job, including 94% of Democrats, 64% of Independents, and a mere 12% of Republicans. Consequently, 39% of Americans, and 84% of Republicans, approve of the job ICE is doing across the nation.
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That poll from Quinnipiac found that 82% of respondents had seen the video of Renee Good being killed by ICE, with a similar response rate across all demographics. With most Americans aware of the shooting, Quinnipiac found that 53% of Americans say the shooting of Good was not justified, while 35% say it was justified.
Data For Progress found similar results to Quinnipiac, with 52% saying the shooting was not justified, while 36% say it was. Between 68% and 77% of Republicans say the shooting was justified, compared to 28% to 30% of Independents, or 4% to 8% of Democrats.
Given the nature of the shooting, YouGov asked a number of questions following the event. One question asked Americans whether they believe the ICE agent in question, Jonathan Ross, should be criminally charged in the killing of Good. That question found 53% of Americans agreeing that Ross should be charged, while 30% do not believe he should.
Given the state of affairs, it seems increasingly unlikely that Ross will be held accountable for the killing of an American citizen.
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That same YouGov survey also found that 20% of Americans, and 39% of Republicans, believe ICE should be allowed to enter K-12 school campuses, while 64% of Americans believe they should not be allowed to enter such places.
Perhaps the most striking result from YouGov’s latest polling was whether Americans support abolishing ICE entirely, a position that has long been touted by left leaning organizations and individuals.
The survey found that a plurality of Americans, at 46%, support abolishing ICE in the wake of Good’s killing and the ongoing chaos ICE has continued to inflict upon the American citizenry, while 43% oppose such a move.
Democrats are the most supportive of abolishing ICE, with 77% agreeing with the move. Even 47% of Independents support the move, compared to 35% who oppose it. Republicans were the least supportive, with only 14% backing the idea, compared to 79% who oppose it.
Younger Americans are much more likely to support abolishing ICE, at 54%, compared to 42% of those between 30 and 64, and 46% of those over 65. Opposition increases with age, as 47% to 48% of those over 45 oppose abolishing ICE.
No poll like this would be complete without a sex split. Men are more opposed to abolishing ICE, with 41% in support and 48% in opposition, compared to 50% of women who support the move and 37% who oppose it. This represents a thirteen point advantage for women and a seven point deficit for men, resulting in a twenty point gap between the sexes.