New Delhi: Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the least favourably viewed of 12 major US federal agencies according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
56 per cent of Americans hold an unfavourable opinion of it, while only 35 per cent view the agency favourably, and per cent are unsure.
The numbers come amid the Trump administration’s increased deportation efforts, with immigration enforcement a key priority of US President Donald Trump’s second term.
The findings come from a Pew Research Center survey of 5,062 US adults conducted from 28 September to 4 October.
It also found that Americans generally view most federal agencies positively, with eight of the 12 receiving more favourable than unfavourable ratings.
ICE faces growing public disapproval
Public opinion of ICE has become more negative over the past year. In 2025, 49 per cent of Americans viewed the agency unfavourably and 40 per cent favourably.
In the latest survey, the share with an unfavourable opinion rose to 56 per cent, while favourable ratings fell to 35 per cent.
The shift is visible across racial and ethnic groups.
Among Black Americans, 69 per cent view ICE unfavourably, up from 51 per cent in 2025. Among Hispanic Americans, the share rose from 54 per cent to 67 per cent, while among Asian Americans, it increased from 57 per cent to 66 per cent.
White Americans are comparatively less negative about the agency, but opinion has also shifted in that group. Nearly half now view ICE unfavourably, compared with 45 per cent last year. Meanwhile, favourable ratings fell from 48 per cent to 42 per cent among White Americans.
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Variation across party lines
Despite the overall decline in ICE’s popularity, Republicans remain more supportive of the agency than Democrats.
Around 67 per cent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents view ICE favourably, down from 72 per cent a year ago. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 84 per cent now hold an unfavourable opinion, up from 78 per cent in 2025.
The divide also extends to other federal departments.
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to view the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, the State Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Health and Human Services favourably.
70 per cent of Republicans view the Department of Homeland Security favourably, compared with 22 per cent of Democrats. 58 per cent of Republicans rate the Justice Department favourably, compared with 27 per cent of Democrats.
National Park Service, Weather Service lead in popularity
While ICE ranks at the bottom, the National Park Service, National Weather Service and US Postal Service receive some of the strongest ratings.
The National Park Service is viewed favourably by 73 per cent of Americans, followed by the National Weather Service at 72 per cent and the US Postal Service at 68 per cent.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Justice Department also receive more unfavourable than favourable ratings, though their negative ratings are lower than ICE’s.