A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on January 13-14 reveals a significant split among Republicans concerning the federal immigration officials' use of force during enforcement actions after the fatal shooting of a community activist, Renee Good, in Minneapolis. This division emerges even as an overwhelming 95% of Republicans continue to express approval of President Donald Trump's overall performance.
The nationwide survey probes Americans’ perspectives on prioritizing the approach immigration officers should wield in raids – whether to emphasize reducing potential harm to people, possibly limiting the number of arrests, or to adopt a firmer stance prioritizing arrests despite risks of serious injury or death.
Among Republican respondents, 59% endorsed maintaining a focus on making arrests irrespective of potential harm to individuals, while 39% favored a policy that stresses minimizing injuries, even if that means fewer detentions occur. Conversely, the Democratic cohort showed near unanimity, with 96% supporting a strategy aimed at avoiding harm to people and only 4% advocating prioritizing arrests.
This polarizing issue has attracted considerable public attention amid the administration's intensified campaign to deport unauthorized immigrants – a defining element of Trump’s policies since his return to office. Federal immigration officers, often seen in tactical military-style gear, have become a common presence across cities nationwide.
The poll also illustrates that 90% of Americans are aware at least somewhat of the January 7 shooting incident involving Renee Good, a 37-year-old community activist who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer after confronting officers from her vehicle. The administration characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense, while local leaders and demonstrators challenge this narrative, citing footage showing Good turning her wheels away from the ICE officer as she drove past, signifying an intent to avoid confrontation.
On the political front, Jason Cabel Roe, a Republican strategist critical of Trump, remarked that Good’s death humanizes the consequences of the administration’s rigorous immigration enforcement: "Someone died in an altercation with ICE. That is not what anyone wants to see happening." The incident has sparked protests in multiple cities, intensifying ongoing tensions between demonstrators and immigration officers outside government facilities, including confrontations involving tear gas and flash-bang devices in Minneapolis observed during the week.
Historically, immigration enforcement policy had bolstered Trump’s approval ratings within his base since he took office, with immigration receiving one of the higher approval levels compared to other issues. Before the latest poll, his support regarding immigration peaked at 50% in February 2025 amid pledges of an unprecedented deportation operation as part of his 2024 reelection campaign.
However, the most recent polling indicates a notable decline with Trump’s overall approval slipping slightly to 41% from 42% earlier in January and his immigration policy approval reaching a record low of 40%, down from 41% in December. Despite this decline, Trump’s immigration approval still surpasses the ratings held by his predecessor, Joe Biden, throughout most of Biden’s 2021-2025 term.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll compiled responses from 1,217 adults across the United States and carries a margin of error of three percentage points.