In a recent poll, a significant portion of Americans have expressed disapproval of President Trump’s approach to migrant raids, as well as his early military actions against Iran. However, there is notable support for his stance on sanctuary cities, according to the findings.
The survey, conducted by NBC, revealed that 54% of registered voters are opposed to the immigration tactics employed by ICE, with only 44% supporting these measures. This sentiment reflects a broader trend of dissatisfaction with some of the administration’s key policies.
When it comes to foreign policy, President Trump is facing a challenging landscape. The poll indicated a 43% approval rating compared to a 54% disapproval rating. This gap is mirrored in the public’s response to how the administration is handling the situation with Iran, where approval stands at 41% against a 54% disapproval rate. These figures were gathered from a sample of 1,000 registered voters between February 27 and March 3, shortly after the U.S. conducted its missile strike against Iran.
Economic concerns also weigh heavily on the American public, with 62% expressing dissatisfaction with the cost of living, as opposed to 36% who are content with current conditions.
In contrast, the poll highlights that President Trump’s opposition to sanctuary cities resonates with many voters. These cities, which often limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, are viewed negatively by 43% of respondents, compared to 33% who view them positively.
Additionally, Trump received a more favorable response regarding general border security, achieving a 53% approval rating, surpassing the 44% disapproval rate. These results suggest that while some of Trump’s policies are contentious, others still find significant support among the electorate.
But some Republicans said ICE’s recent violent, sometimes deadly raids have swung the pendulum too far.
“We’ve lost the debate over immigration and deportations,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a fierce critic of former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, to CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
Trump fired Noem last week and tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as her replacement, recalibrating his administration’s approach to immigration enforcement and to the Department of Homeland Security more broadly.
Tillis was optimistic that his colleague, Mullin, would help get “this department under control so that Republicans can seize an issue that helped us get elected.”
Immigration and border security had been among Trump’s strongest issues heading into the 2024 presidential election.
The recent poor marks on immigration come in the aftermath of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge.
At the height of the surge, there were more than 3,000 feds deployed to Minneapolis. The two deaths of civilian protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti during the surge sparked widespread public outcry.
The Trump administration has since wound down its immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota.
In general, the poll also found Democrats are topping Republicans in terms of voters’ perspectives on who should take control of Congress after the 2026 midterms. Respondents preferred Democrats 50% to 44%, with 6% undecided, showed the poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Notably, Republicans are up 2 percentage points from the last time NBC asked that question in October.
Republicans are also polling ahead of Democrats on general issues such as border security (53% to 26%), crime (47% to 25%), and immigration (46% to 34%).
Democrats are up on protecting constitutional rights (46% to 39%), safeguarding democracy (47% to 36%), and healthcare (48% to 28%).
Both parties were even on the economy at 40% apiece.
