A majority of Americans (56%) now say they have an unfavorable opinion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency at the center of many of the Trump administration’s increased deportation efforts. A considerably smaller share – 35% – view the agency favorably, while 9% say they are not sure.
ICE is the least favorably viewed of the 12 federal agencies and departments asked about in a Pew Research Center survey of 5,062 adults conducted from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4.
Republicans’ ratings of ICE are far more positive than those of Democrats. But in both partisan groups, views of the agency have grown more negative over the last year:
Two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents currently view ICE favorably, down from 72% a year ago.
An overwhelming majority of Democrats and Democratic leaners now have an unfavorable opinion of ICE (84%), up from 78% last year.
Growing shares in both parties view ICE unfavorably, even as a wide partisan gap persists
% who have a(n) __ opinion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Note: No answer responses are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Growing shares in both parties view ICE unfavorably, even as a wide partisan gap persists
% who have a(n) __ opinion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
| Year | Agency | Group | Favorable | Unfavorable | Not sure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ICE | Total | 40 | 49 | 10 |
| 2026 | ICE | Total | 35 | 56 | 9 |
| 2025 | ICE | Rep/Lean Rep | 72 | 21 | 7 |
| 2026 | ICE | Rep/Lean Rep | 67 | 23 | 9 |
| 2025 | ICE | Dem/Lean Dem | 13 | 78 | 9 |
| 2026 | ICE | Dem/Lean Dem | 9 | 84 | 7 |
Note: No answer responses are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
For views of other federal agencies included in the survey, visit “How Americans View Federal Agencies.”
About this research
We conducted this survey to understand Americans’ attitudes about key federal government agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. We have tracked attitudes about federal agencies and departments for many years. For views of other agencies, refer to this fact sheet.
Why did we do this?
How did we do this?
We surveyed 5,062 U.S. adults from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey represents the views of the full U.S. adult population.
Here are the survey questions used for this analysis, the detailed responses and the survey methodology.
Views of ICE by race and ethnicity
Majorities of Black (69%), Hispanic (67%) and Asian adults (66%) have a negative opinion of ICE. In each group, views are substantially more negative than they were a year ago.
White adults are less likely than other racial and ethnic groups to view the agency negatively, though more now express a negative opinion than a positive one.
Nearly half of White adults (49%) have an unfavorable view of ICE, up from 45% in 2025. About four-in-ten (42%) have a positive opinion, down from 48% a year ago.
Americans across racial and ethnic groups view ICE more negatively today than a year ago
% who have a(n) ___ opinion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Note: No answer responses are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Americans across racial and ethnic groups view ICE more negatively today than a year ago
% who have a(n) ___ opinion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
| Year | Group | Favorable | Unfavorable | Not sure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | White | 48 | 45 | 7 |
| 2026 | White | 42 | 49 | 8 |
| 2025 | Hispanic | 29 | 54 | 16 |
| 2026 | Hispanic | 25 | 67 | 7 |
| 2025 | Black | 26 | 51 | 22 |
| 2026 | Black | 15 | 69 | 16 |
| 2025 | Asian | 32 | 57 | 10 |
| 2026 | Asian | 24 | 66 | 10 |
Note: No answer responses are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Views of ICE by party, race and ethnicity
Among Republicans
White Republicans (71%) are much more likely than Hispanic Republicans to view ICE favorably (53%).
White Republicans are more likely than Hispanic Republicans to view ICE favorably
% who have a(n) ___ opinion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
* Relatively small sample size for Hispanic Republicans (N=201, margin of error +/- 10.1 percentage points at 95% confidence).
** Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: Insufficient sample size to show data for Black and Asian Republicans. No answer responses are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
White Republicans are more likely than Hispanic Republicans to view ICE favorably
% who have a(n) ___ opinion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
| Race/Ethnicity | Group | Favorable | Unfavorable | Not sure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Rep/Lean Rep | 71 | 20 | 8 |
| Hispanic* | Rep/Lean Rep | 53 | 39 | 8 |
| White | Dem/Lean Dem | 6 | 89 | 5 |
| Hispanic | Dem/Lean Dem | 14 | 79 | 7 |
| Black | Dem/Lean Dem | 12 | 75 | 12 |
| Asian** | Dem/Lean Dem | 11 | 82 | 7 |
* Relatively small sample size for Hispanic Republicans (N=201, margin of error +/- 10.1 percentage points at 95% confidence).
** Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: Insufficient sample size to show data for Black and Asian Republicans. No answer responses are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Among Democrats
Across racial and ethnic groups, large majorities of Democrats view ICE unfavorably. However, White Democrats’ views are particularly negative.
Roughly nine-in-ten White Democrats (89%) express a negative opinion, compared with smaller majorities of Asian (82%), Hispanic (79%) and Black Democrats (75%).
Note: Here are the survey questions used for this analysis, the detailed responses and the survey methodology.
Andy Cerda is a research analyst focusing on politics at Pew Research Center.