A new Economist/YouGov survey reveals that most Americans believe it should be illegal to interfere with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as they perform their duties. According to the poll, 52% of respondents support making it illegal for Americans to prevent ICE from doing its job, while only 24% think it should be legal, and another 24% remain unsure.
The data highlights deep political divisions over immigration enforcement. Among Republicans, support for ICE is overwhelming—80% say it should be illegal to obstruct immigration officers. Just 10% of GOP respondents think such interference should be permitted. Independents are also inclined to side with enforcement, with 47% saying ICE obstruction should be illegal, while only 22% said legal.
Democrats, however, show a very different attitude. A striking 41% of Democrats believe it should be legal for Americans to block ICE operations. Only 26% of Democrats agree with the majority opinion that such actions should be outlawed, while 33% remain undecided.
This division plays directly into the escalating national debate over the role of ICE, especially in the wake of major protests and confrontations in cities like Los Angeles. Over the past few weeks, demonstrators in L.A. have protested ICE raids and arrests, some going as far as attempting to physically block detentions. While 76% of Democrats in the poll say they support the protests, 74% of Republicans disapprove. Independents are once again close to evenly split, with 43% approving and 40% disapproving of the anti-ICE demonstrations.
The protests have drawn federal attention, especially as they coincide with increasingly aggressive ICE operations. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE agents in Los Angeles have been targeting repeat offenders and criminals who re-entered the U.S. illegally after deportation. DHS has released the names and criminal records of several recent arrestees to underscore the severity of the threat.
Among them is Eswin Uriel Castro, a previously deported illegal immigrant convicted of child molestation and armed criminal activity, with further arrests for robbery and domestic violence. Another individual, Anastacio Enrique Solis-Salinas from Nicaragua, was arrested for cruelty to a child and convicted of domestic violence and hit-and-run. Miguel Angel Palafox-Montes, arrested multiple times, has convictions ranging from identity theft to narcotics offenses and grand theft.
DHS reports suggest that many detained illegal aliens have rap sheets that include charges like sexual battery, second-degree murder, distribution of cocaine and heroin, and assault with intent to commit rape. Despite this, protestors in Los Angeles continue to call for ICE’s abolition, often citing racial justice and immigration rights as the basis for their activism.
While the Biden administration had softened immigration enforcement standards in prior years, the return of President Trump has led to a sharp crackdown on illegal immigration and a renewed emphasis on deporting repeat offenders. These efforts have triggered passionate protests in liberal enclaves—but also clear support from a majority of voters nationwide.
As the political climate intensifies around border security and law enforcement, this poll shows the American public remains far more aligned with enforcement priorities than the mainstream media or left-wing activists may suggest. With over half the country demanding legal consequences for interfering with ICE, it’s clear that support for law and order at the border still runs deep.
