New polling cited by the White House shows broad public support for President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda, including deportations of criminal illegal immigrants and increased cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration officials, as the administration continues to clash with Democrats over border and enforcement policy.
According to the data, two polls indicate that a majority of Americans agree with the core elements of Trump’s approach to illegal immigration. The findings come as the administration has expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and taken a more aggressive posture in response to protests and resistance to federal enforcement, including recent unrest in Minneapolis.
One of the polls highlights widespread agreement on basic immigration enforcement principles. Nearly three-quarters of respondents, 73 percent, said entering the United States without permission constitutes breaking the law. A majority, 61 percent, said they support deporting illegal immigrants to their home countries. The poll also found that 58 percent oppose calls to defund ICE, while 54 percent support ICE enforcing federal immigration laws.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 2, 2026
A second poll focused more narrowly on enforcement actions involving criminal illegal immigrants and cooperation with federal authorities. That survey found majority approval of President Trump’s response to anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis, where federal enforcement actions have drawn national attention. Seventy-three percent of respondents said criminal illegal immigrants should be deported, with more than half saying that standard should apply to all illegal immigrants without lawful status. Support for cooperation between local governments and federal authorities was also strong. Sixty-seven percent of respondents said state and local officials should work with federal agencies to deport criminal illegal immigrants, including 64 percent of independents. The same percentage said local jails should transfer criminal illegal immigrants to federal custody for deportation, a position supported by 62 percent of independents and 50 percent of Democrats.
The polling also reflects voter attitudes toward political rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement. Sixty percent of respondents said Democrats are encouraging resistance to ICE officers, while 57 percent said they oppose elected officials urging defiance against federal immigration enforcement.
The White House framed the results as evidence that the administration’s immigration strategy aligns with public opinion, particularly on issues of public safety and enforcement against criminal offenders. Administration officials have argued that recent actions, including stepped-up ICE operations and demands for local cooperation, are aimed at restoring order and enforcing existing law rather than expanding new authorities.
The polling data emerges amid heightened political tensions over immigration, as Democrats criticize the administration’s tactics and Republicans point to crime, border security, and public safety as justification for stronger enforcement. With immigration remaining a central issue of Trump’s presidency, the White House has signaled that it intends to continue pressing forward with policies focused on deportations, ICE empowerment, and local-federal cooperation.
