The days after federal agents fatally shot Veterans Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have produced sharper public disapproval of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and broader skepticism of the Trump administration’s immigration approach. New national surveys from Quinnipiac and Ipsos, fielded Jan. 29–Feb. 2 and Jan. 30–Feb. 1 respectively, show larger shares of Americans saying ICE enforcement goes “too far,” a majority of voters favoring removal of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and nearly half saying they personally know someone living in fear because of current deportation policies. The polling follows video and official accounts of the Jan. 24, 2026, detention that ended with Pretti’s death and comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE operations in Minneapolis.
Key Takeaways
- Quinnipiac finds 63% of voters disapprove of ICE’s enforcement of immigration laws and 34% approve, down from 57% disapproval and 40% approval in an earlier Quinnipiac poll.
- Ipsos reports 62% of Americans say ICE efforts to address unauthorized immigration go “too far,” up from 58% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll the prior week.
- Quinnipiac shows 58% of voters want DHS Secretary Kristi Noem removed from her post and 60% say ICE should withdraw from Minneapolis.
- Nearly half (47%) of registered voters told Quinnipiac they know someone living in fear because of the Trump administration’s deportation policies.
- Public assessments of the Pretti shooting: Quinnipiac reports 62% say the shooting was “not justified” and 61% say the administration has not given an honest account; Ipsos finds 55% view the killing as excessive force.
- Majorities favor reforms: over 90% support ICE agents wearing body cameras and about 60% oppose agents wearing masks or other face coverings, according to Quinnipiac.
- Quinnipiac also finds 59% of voters prefer offering most undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal status versus 34% favoring deportation of most undocumented people.
Background
The shooting that put ICE back under a national microscope occurred on Jan. 24, 2026, when federal agents moved to detain Alex Pretti in Minneapolis; a Reuters-obtained video shows an officer pinning Pretti before lethal force was used. The incident followed, by 17 days, the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good, also killed by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis — events that together intensified questions about ICE tactics and oversight in the city.
The polls were conducted against a charged political backdrop: the Trump administration has emphasized aggressive enforcement and deployment of federal immigration agents, while critics argue those actions are politically motivated. In the days after the polls were taken, border czar Tom Homan announced a drawdown of 700 federal agents from Minnesota; Quinnipiac’s fieldwork concluded before that announcement. The national conversation has centered on use-of-force rules, transparency, and whether policy decisions are driven by law-enforcement needs or political calculations.
Main Event
Authorities say the Jan. 24 operation in Minneapolis sought to detain Pretti; video released to news outlets shows a tense confrontation in which an officer pins him moments before he was shot and later died. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security quickly characterized the episode in stark terms: Secretary Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller publicly accused Pretti of domestic terrorism shortly after the shooting, remarks made before a full, public investigation was completed.
President Donald Trump distanced himself somewhat from that initial characterization when asked by ABC News whether he agreed with advisers who labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist,” saying he had not “heard” that assessment but adding he did not like that Pretti was armed and noting the presence of two fully loaded magazines. Independent and media calls for clarity grew as polls captured widespread skepticism about official explanations.
Quinnipiac reports 62% of voters view Pretti’s shooting as “not justified,” while 61% say the administration has not given an honest account of what happened. Ipsos finds a majority (55%) judging the killing an excessive use of force, with 16% saying it was necessary. Views break heavily by party: most Democrats (88%) and a majority of independents (54%) call it excessive; Republicans are more divided, with 33% saying it was necessary, 24% calling it excessive and 43% unsure.
Public pressure for accountability is high: roughly 8 in 10 voters told Quinnipiac there should be an independent investigation into the shooting. At the same time, more than half of voters said recent ICE-involved shootings in Minneapolis indicate broader problems in ICE operations rather than isolated incidents.
Analysis & Implications
The polling surge against ICE and the Trump administration after Pretti’s death carries immediate political risk for officials identified with the enforcement push. A 58% majority favoring Noem’s removal is notable because DHS secretaries are cabinet-level figures whose public standing can influence both internal agency morale and administration messaging on immigration. If those approval trends persist, Republican leaders may face pressure to recalibrate enforcement rhetoric or personnel choices ahead of the 2026 midterm cycle.
Operationally, the optics of repeated deadly encounters in a single city can erode cooperation between immigrant communities and law enforcement. Quinnipiac’s finding that 47% of voters know someone living in fear under current deportation policies signals a broad-based community impact that could influence reporting of crimes, willingness to access health and social services, and local policing partnerships. Calls for body cameras and limits on face coverings reflect voter demand for clearer records and identifiable officers during operations.
Policy and legal consequences are also plausible. Heightened public scrutiny and demands for independent probes increase the likelihood of federal or state investigations, civil suits, and legislative proposals to change ICE rules of engagement or oversight. The perception that agents were deployed for political reasons — 56% of voters in Quinnipiac say deployment to Minneapolis was politically motivated — could spur congressional inquiries or oversight hearings if sustained.
Comparison & Data
| Poll | Field dates | Sample | Key result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac | Jan. 29–Feb. 2, 2026 | 1,191 registered voters; MOE ±3.6% | 63% disapprove of ICE enforcement (34% approve) |
| Quinnipiac (earlier) | January 2026 | — | 57% disapprove / 40% approve |
| Ipsos | Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 2026 | 1,020 U.S. adults; MOE ±3.7% | 62% say ICE efforts go “too far” |
| Reuters/Ipsos (week prior) | Mid–late Jan. 2026 | — | 58% said ICE efforts go “too far” |
The table shows a measurable move in public opinion across the two national polls: Quinnipiac records a drop in ICE approval compared with its earlier January survey, while Ipsos indicates a small week-over-week rise in the share saying enforcement goes too far. Both surveys have margins of sampling error in the mid-3 percent range, so trends should be interpreted as indicative rather than definitive but consistent in direction.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials and commentators offered terse, contrasting statements as public outrage and calls for review grew.
“I don’t like that he had a gun. I don’t like that. He has two fully loaded magazines.”
President Donald Trump (to ABC News)
That remark followed immediate public accusations by senior administration figures that Pretti should be characterized as a domestic terrorist — a label applied before a full investigation. Critics said the rapid attribution risked prejudging the facts and inflaming public reaction.
“Domestic terrorist,”
Kristi Noem; Stephen Miller (initial statements)
These early assertions from DHS leadership and the White House deputy chief of staff were widely cited in news coverage and became a focal point for poll respondents questioning the administration’s account. Advocacy groups, legal experts and many voters have demanded independent review and greater transparency in operational details.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Pretti met whatever internal threshold the department uses for lethal force remains under investigation and was not established publicly at the time of the polls.
- Claims that agents were deployed to Minneapolis primarily for political reasons are based on public perception; definitive internal DHS rationale has not been made public.
- Specifics about whether all operational protocols were followed in the Pretti encounter have not been released and await independent review.
Bottom Line
Two national polls conducted in the days after Alex Pretti’s death show a clear downward shift in public support for ICE and growing skepticism of the administration’s handling of immigration enforcement. Majorities now favor removing DHS Secretary Noem, demand independent investigations, and back reforms such as universal body cameras for ICE agents — signals that political leaders are likely to notice.
Whether these shifts produce immediate policy change depends on multiple factors: the findings of any independent investigations, how Republican and allied officials respond to public and legal pressure, and whether opinion trends persist into the midterms. For communities directly affected by enforcement, the short-term consequence is tangible: a sizeable share of the public now reports knowing someone living in fear, a social effect that can outlast any single policy decision.
Sources
- ABC News — media report summarizing polls and events
- Quinnipiac University Poll — public opinion research (official poll release)
- Ipsos — public opinion research (official poll release)
- Reuters — news agency reporting and video coverage of the Minneapolis incident