Nearly 6 in 10 Fox News viewers disapprove of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with almost half of voters wanting to slash the agency’s funding, according to a new poll from the network.
The study also found that disapproval of ICE’s activities is at a record high compared to any Fox poll conducted since 2018. Just 42 percent of respondents approve of the federal agency’s performance.
The survey was conducted between February 28 and March 2, just days before DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was fired by President Trump.
Daron Shaw, a Republican pollster, told Fox News that the reason for ICE’s dismal disapproval score is clear.
“This isn’t a complicated story,” Shaw said. “ICE’s tactics in Minneapolis, along with negative news coverage, have caused a sharp drop in approval, especially among independents and members of the out-party.”
Fox News is typically supportive of the Trump administration, and the president is an avid viewer of the conservative channel.
During his first year in office, Trump presided over an unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration into the United States.
The killings of Renée Good by ICE agents and Alex Pretti by CBP officers in Minneapolis sparked a wave of protests against the activities of immigration enforcers.
Views on ICE’s activities are split down partisan lines according to the survey.
Approval ratings were highest amongst those who identified as MAGA, with 94 percent of those respondents saying that they were happy with ICE’s performance. Voters who described themselves as “very conservative” gave approval ratings of 87 percent, while other Republicans gave an 83 percent approval rating.
Meanwhile, the number of Democratic voters who disapprove of ICE activities has increased by 8 points since September 2025. The number of under-30s who disapprove of ICE has increased by 17 points during the same period.
Male respondents also recorded an 11-point increase in disapproval ratings related to ICE.
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The latest study also found that nearly half of those surveyed, 46 percent, wanted ICE funding to be reduced. Just 20 percent of respondents said that funding should be increased, with an additional 18 percent saying that the amount allocated to ICE should remain at current levels.
The remaining 16 percent said that new restrictions should be placed on the agency, but that funding should remain at current levels.
Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” allocated a record $165 billion to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.
Kristi Noem was fired as DHS Secretary last night, though, with the so-called “ICE Barbie” being reassigned by the president. Trump said that Noem had achieved “spectacular results.”
The study found that nearly half of those surveyed, 49 percent, believed that the president’s immigration policies were hurting the economy. Just 33 percent said that his immigration crackdown had helped the economy.
Opinions among the 1,004 people surveyed by Fox News were also divided on whether Trump had made the country safe with his immigration policies. Forty-two percent said he had made the United States safer, while 37 percent said the opposite.
General polling of Trump’s performance as president by Fox News found that 57 percent had unfavorable views of his handling of the job. Just 43 percent said that they approved of his performance as commander in chief.
Border security was the only issue where Trump’s approval score exceeded his disapproval score, with 52 percent saying he handled it well, compared to 48 percent who said the opposite.
On the other hand, his disapproval scores exceeded positive ratings on issues including immigration, the economy, healthcare, taxes, tariffs and the cost of living.
Trump, though, has bragged about his poll numbers as recently as February.
“The highest Poll Numbers I have ever received,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Obviously, people like a strong and powerful Country, with the best economy, EVER!”
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