Most voters say an ICE agent should not have fired the shots that killed a woman in Minneapolis, according to a new Quinnipiac University national poll. A majority, 53%, say the fatal shooting was not justified, while 35% say it was justified.
The incident drew widespread attention. Eighty-two percent of voters say they have seen video of the shooting, which was captured on camera and circulated widely.
Views split sharply along party and gender lines. Republicans overwhelmingly say the shooting was justified, while Democrats and independents say it was not. Men are divided, but women are far more likely to say the shooting should not have happened.
Most voters disapprove of ICE enforcement
The poll also finds broad disapproval of how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is doing its job. Fifty-seven percent of voters disapprove of the way ICE enforces immigration laws, compared with 40% who approve.
Those views look much like they did last summer. Republicans strongly approve of ICE’s enforcement approach, while large majorities of Democrats and independents disapprove.
Approval of Homeland Security leadership remains low
Voters also give low marks to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Just 36% approve of the way she is handling her job, while 52% disapprove. Another 12% say they don’t have an opinion.
Her numbers have slipped slightly since July. Approval among Republicans remains high, but Democrats and independents overwhelmingly disapprove.
A divided public, a clear majority
Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy said the results show how visible and polarizing the shooting has become. “More than eight in ten American voters say they’ve seen the video,” Malloy said. “But should the shooting have happened? The majority say the shots should not have been fired by the ICE agent.”
The survey included 1,133 registered voters nationwide and was conducted from January 8 through January 12, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
Most voters say the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE agent was not justified and disapprove of how ICE is enforcing immigration laws. The findings highlight deep partisan divides and ongoing public unease with immigration enforcement and federal leadership.
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