New Yorkers are sharply divided over the state’s role in federal immigration enforcement and show strong opposition to allowing federal agents to detain elected officials, according to a new Siena College poll released Wednesday.
By a margin of 51-33%, voters said immigration agents should not be allowed to detain public officials, a practice recently seen in the arrests of a U.S. senator from California and New York City’s comptroller. The opposition is strongest in downstate areas, while upstate voters are evenly split.
“When it comes to ICE detaining elected officials… more than two-thirds of Democrats and a plurality of independents say ‘no,’ they should not be allowed,” said Siena pollster Steven Greenberg. “Upstate voters are evenly divided but downstate voters strongly say ICE should not be allowed.”
Voters also remain deeply split on whether New York State should support or oppose federal efforts to deport undocumented immigrants living in the state. In December, a clear majority (54%) supported state cooperation with federal authorities. That dropped to 45% in May and now stands at 41%, with 43% of voters saying the state should oppose those efforts.
“Independent voters had favored the state supporting the feds in May… however, they are now closely divided,” Greenberg said. Democrats opposed deportation efforts by more than a two-to-one margin, while Republicans overwhelmingly supported them.
On economic policy, a clear majority of voters support eliminating income taxes on tips (61-21%) and requiring healthy adult Medicaid recipients to work in order to receive benefits (48-32%). But strong opposition remains to cutting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and corporate taxes—both policies included in the president’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
“Majorities or pluralities of Democrats, Republicans and independents agree in their support of eliminating taxes on tips, and their opposition to reducing SNAP benefits for poor Americans,” Greenberg said. “While majorities of Democrats and independents oppose cutting taxes for corporations, a small plurality of Republicans supports it.”
Governor Kathy Hochul remains a prominent figure in the state’s political landscape. Though she leads all potential Republican challengers in early polling for the 2026 election, more than a quarter of voters remain undecided, and her favorability and job approval ratings have remained largely unchanged in recent months.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also faces mixed reviews. His favorability rating sits underwater at 41-47%, with 49% of independents and 35% of Democrats viewing him unfavorably.
In broader sentiment, 58% of New York voters say the United States is heading in the wrong direction. That figure has remained steady since May, but discontent among independents has surged, with 62% now saying the country is off track.
The Siena College poll surveyed 800 registered voters across New York State from June 23 to 26 and has a margin of error of ±4.4 percentage points.
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