A dramatic 25-point collapse in public support for ICE operations exposes a troubling enforcement strategy that’s ensnaring innocent American citizens while failing to prioritize genuine threats to public safety.
Story Snapshot
- Public approval for Trump’s ICE enforcement plummeted from +18 net approval to negative territory within one year
- Over 170 U.S. citizens wrongfully detained by ICE, with 70% of all detainees having no criminal convictions
- Administration claims of 1,000% increase in attacks on officers contradicted by court data showing only 25% rise
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem faces negative polling across all categories as enforcement tactics undermine community trust
Polling Data Reveals Strategic Failure
CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten documented a stunning reversal in public perception of ICE operations between January 2025 and January 2026. In early 2025, 61% of Americans believed the administration prioritized deporting dangerous criminals. By January 2026, only 47% maintained this view, while 56% believed enforcement targeted non-criminals instead. This 25-point swing represents a complete collapse of what initially appeared as political strength for the administration. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem now faces negative polling in every measured category, turning immigration enforcement from an asset into a liability.
American Citizens Caught in Enforcement Dragnet
More than 170 U.S. citizens have been wrongfully detained during ICE operations under the current administration, according to ProPublica’s compilation of publicly available incidents. Documented cases include American citizens pulled from vehicles, zip-tied for hours, and left standing in rain in their underwear. This represents a fundamental breakdown in enforcement standards that threatens constitutional protections. For 26 years spanning both Republican and Democratic administrations, immigration enforcement operated under explicit priorities focusing on individuals with criminal records. President Trump’s January 2025 executive order rescinded these safeguards, instructing ICE to set its own priorities.
Detention Data Contradicts Safety Claims
Current detention statistics reveal that 70% of individuals in immigration custody as of December 2025 had never been convicted of any crime. This data directly contradicts the administration’s public messaging about prioritizing dangerous criminals for removal. ICE has stopped publishing comprehensive arrest and deportation statistics, making independent verification increasingly difficult. The rapid hiring of 12,000 new ICE officers under pressure to increase arrest numbers appears to have prioritized quantity over quality, resulting in enforcement that is broader and less targeted than at any point in recent memory. This approach abandons common-sense priorities that protected law-abiding Americans.
Safety Claims Lack Supporting Evidence
The Trump administration claims attacks on ICE officers increased by “more than 1,000 percent” with death threats up “8,000%,” yet DHS has provided no data substantiating these figures. An NPR analysis of court records found only a 25% rise in assault charges against federal officers compared to the prior year. This significant discrepancy undermines administrative credibility on legitimate officer safety concerns. Additionally, the FBI issued an October 2025 law enforcement bulletin warning about criminals impersonating ICE officers following two dozen documented incidents. These impersonations enabled robberies, kidnappings, and sexual assaults. Police chiefs nationwide report that ICE tactics involving masked agents and armed confrontations generate false 911 calls and undermine community trust in law enforcement.
Constitutional Concerns Mount
The absence of clear enforcement priorities raises serious questions about due process and Fourth Amendment protections. Congressional representatives including Greg Stanton, Nikki Budzinski, and Senator Alex Padilla have called for investigations into deaths resulting from ICE operations and accountability for undertrained agents deployed too quickly. At least one U.S. citizen death has occurred following an ICE operation, with 2026 reportedly on track to break records for deaths in ICE custody. These outcomes suggest that abandoning 26 years of bipartisan enforcement standards has created dangerous operational chaos that threatens both civil liberties and genuine public safety. Conservative principles demand effective government action that protects citizens while respecting constitutional limits, not indiscriminate enforcement that fails on both counts.
Sources:
How the Current Interior Immigration Enforcement Approach is Failing – Third Way
