U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was the least popular government agency in a new survey that found Americans now rank it even below the perennially feared IRS.
Just 35% of those surveyed had a good opinion of ICE, while 56% held an unfavorable opinion in the latest data from the Pew Research Center. That’s a net negative of 21 percentage points, or more than double the net-negative 9 points for the tax agency.
The National Park Service topped the list of 12 agencies, with 73% holding a favorable opinion of the guardians of America’s natural treasures. The National Weather Service and the U.S. Postal Service rounded out the top three.
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They all drew warm feelings from Democrats and Republicans alike.
But the rest of the government has been affected by views of President Trump and his control over the executive branch.
The FBI, which Republicans generally viewed unfavorably a few years ago, is now strongly popular within the GOP, at 58% favorability. Among Democrats, it’s gone from 57% favorable in 2023 to 59% unfavorable under Mr. Trump.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees many of the social programs Democrats are most eager about, has also slipped from 70% favorability among the party faithful to just 37% favorable now.
Among Republicans, meanwhile, it’s reversed from 47% unfavorable to 54% favorable now.
ICE was already underwater in last year’s Pew data, with a net negative 9 points. But it has dropped even further this year, as clashes with illegal immigrants and U.S. citizens — including the shooting deaths of two citizens in Minneapolis in January — have drawn grim headlines.
Among Republicans, the agency holds a 67% favorable rating, though that’s down from 72% last year, Pew said. Among Democrats, 84% view ICE negatively, up from 78% last year.
Those bad vibes are playing out dangerously, with ICE reporting a massive increase in assaults on its officers and a surge in “doxxing” attempts on its personnel.
The Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency, fared somewhat better, with a 43% favorable rating and a 42% unfavorable rating.
But as with ICE, there were deep divisions, with Republicans generally liking the department and Democrats ill-disposed toward it.
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