Lead
A CBS News/YouGov survey conducted Jan. 14–16, 2026 (n=2,523; margin of error ±2.3 points) finds a growing share of Americans saying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is too tough in stopping and detaining people, and that President Trump’s deportation program is affecting more people than many expected. The poll shows support for the deportation program slipped to its lowest level of the term after events in Minneapolis, even as Republicans and MAGA-aligned voters continue to back it strongly. Views on the Minneapolis shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent fall largely along party lines, and most respondents judged the administration’s response unfair. The survey also finds broad public resistance to the idea of U.S. military action in Greenland or Iran.
Key takeaways
- The CBS News/YouGov poll interviewed 2,523 U.S. adults from Jan. 14–16, 2026; the weighted margin of error is ±2.3 points.
- More respondents now say ICE is “too tough” in operations, and a rising share believes the deportation program is targeting people beyond dangerous criminals.
- Overall support for the deportation program fell to its lowest point of the administration’s term following the Minneapolis incident, though strong support remains among Republicans and MAGA supporters.
- A slight majority says ICE operations make the communities where they occur less safe, while a minority believes safety has improved.
- Republicans generally view the Minneapolis shooting as justified; Democrats and independents largely view it as unjustified, and many say the administration’s response has not been fair.
- Most Americans oppose the prospect of using force to take Greenland or to act militarily in Iran and expect any such intervention to be lengthy and costly.
Background
The immigration enforcement program launched by the administration has been politically polarizing since inception, receiving consistent backing from Republican voters and organized MAGA supporters while drawing opposition from Democrats and sizable numbers of independents. Over the course of the term, approval of the program moved from an initial net positive to a more divided public profile, with periodic shifts driven by high-profile enforcement actions and media coverage. The Minneapolis shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent became a flashpoint that appears to have accelerated negative public assessments of how the program is executed, even if views of its stated goals remain more mixed.
ICE’s mission—arresting, detaining and removing noncitizens judged to violate immigration law—has long prompted debates over priorities, transparency and community impact. Advocates for stricter enforcement argue it protects public safety; critics contend broad operations erode trust in immigrant communities and can ensnare people who do not pose criminal dangers. The administration has emphasized a tough posture on immigration as a pillar of its platform and public messaging, and that stance helps explain the persistent GOP and MAGA backing seen in national polling.
Main event
The Jan. 14–16 CBS News/YouGov survey captures public attitudes in the immediate aftermath of the Minneapolis shooting and related coverage. Respondents increasingly say ICE’s tactics are excessive, and many believe the administration is deporting more people than it initially signaled it would target. That shift coincided with a decline in overall approval for the deportation program to the lowest level recorded during the current term.
Despite the overall dip, partisan splits are pronounced. Republicans, particularly MAGA-aligned voters, remain the program’s strongest supporters and more inclined to see operations as justified and necessary. Democrats and many independents, by contrast, are more likely to say operations should be scaled back or halted, viewing recent events as evidence of overreach.
On perceptions of safety, the poll shows a majority of respondents think ICE operations make the communities where they occur less safe, not safer. This assessment reflects concerns about enforcement methods and their local consequences, including reduced cooperation with law enforcement among immigrant populations and heightened community fear.
Separately, the survey asked about U.S. foreign policy scenarios: large shares oppose military action to seize Greenland or open military operations in Iran. Most respondents expect any such actions to be prolonged and costly, and they worry about geopolitical instability and damage to alliances should force be used.
Analysis & implications
The poll suggests the public differentiates between the stated goals of the deportation program and how those goals are being implemented. More Americans approve of the program’s declared objectives in the abstract than they do of the tactics currently used. That gap indicates a communications and operational problem for policymakers who support aggressive enforcement but must contend with negative public reaction to particular incidents.
Politically, the findings reinforce a hardened partisan landscape on immigration. The administration’s core supporters continue to back its approach, insulating leadership from immediate political peril on this issue. Yet the erosion of broader public approval following Minneapolis raises potential liabilities: sustained negative perceptions could bleed into midterm and local contests where immigrant communities and suburban voters are influential.
On policy, the results could push lawmakers and administrators toward either (a) doubling down—escalating operations to satisfy core supporters—or (b) adopting more selective, transparent tactics to blunt public backlash. The former risks further alienating swing voters; the latter would require operational changes and clearer standards for prioritization that the poll indicates many Americans want to see.
Comparison & data
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Survey dates | Jan. 14–16, 2026 |
| Sample size (adults) | 2,523 |
| Weighted margin of error | ±2.3 points |
The poll was weighted to match nationwide adult demographics (gender, age, race, education), U.S. Census household benchmarks and 2024 presidential vote. Those methodological choices shape representativeness: while the margin of error is relatively small, subgroup estimates (for example, MAGA Republicans) have wider uncertainty. The absence of detailed percentage breakdowns in public summary reporting limits precise comparisons across prior polls, but the direction of change—lower overall support for the deportation program and rising concerns about tactics—is clear in this dataset.
Reactions & quotes
“The data show a clear gap between support for the program’s stated goals and discomfort with how enforcement is being carried out.”
CBS News/YouGov analysis
This summarizes the poll team’s central finding: Americans are more favorable toward the concept of deportation ambitions than toward the operational methods in many recent enforcement actions.
“Partisan lines strongly shape views about the Minneapolis shooting and the administration’s response.”
CBS News reporting team
That characterization reflects the poll’s consistent pattern: Republicans are likelier to see the shooting as justified and to support continued or expanded operations, while Democrats and many independents draw the opposite conclusion.
Unconfirmed
- Precise percentage point shifts for specific demographic subgroups after the Minneapolis event are not published in the summary and require the poll’s full topline for confirmation.
- Attribution of motive behind individual ICE operations—whether they were intended to broaden targets beyond dangerous criminals—remains a matter of interpretation and is not definitively established by this poll alone.
- Details about the Minneapolis shooting’s investigation and internal ICE findings were not resolved in the poll and remain subject to ongoing inquiry.
Bottom line
The CBS News/YouGov poll indicates an important public split: many Americans accept the general aim of immigration enforcement but increasingly disapprove of how it is carried out, especially after high-profile incidents such as the Minneapolis shooting of Renee Good. That gap presents a dilemma for policymakers who must balance base mobilization with retaining uncertain or moderate voters.
Looking ahead, the political calculus will hinge on whether the administration responds by refining enforcement priorities and increasing transparency or by intensifying operations to satisfy core supporters. Either path carries risks: softer tactics may alienate the base; harder tactics may deepen public skepticism and affect electoral dynamics where swing voters matter. Meanwhile, on foreign policy questions such as Greenland and Iran, the public is broadly wary of military options and anticipates long, costly engagements if force is used.