President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown faced widespread public opposition at the ballot box, but that anger did not translate into immigration becoming the defining issue of the election. More than half of voters said the administration’s enforcement actions had gone too far, and six in 10 disapproved of ICE’s performance. Yet just 14 percent named immigration as the country’s most important issue, far behind the economy and concerns about democracy, according to exit polls.
The economy came first, at 39 percent, followed by the state of democracy at 32 percent. Healthcare, foreign policy, and crime ranked further behind. The exit poll found 57 percent believed the administration’s immigration enforcement had gone too far, while 20 percent said it had not gone far enough and 22 percent considered it about right.
Sixty percent disapproved of the way ICE was handling its job, compared with 40 percent who approved. The results leave ICE facing a new Democratic-controlled Congress, and questions about whether public anger will translate into political consequences. For much of Trump’s second term, immigration enforcement was one of the defining features of his presidency.
Footage of masked federal agents carrying out raids, arrests and deportations became a regular part of the national conversation. The deaths of people during immigration enforcement operations, protests against ICE and a growing backlash over the administration’s mass deportation plans put the agency under intense scrutiny. Views on enforcement also tracked closely with voting behavior.
Among those who said the administration had gone too far, 89 percent backed Democratic candidates. Among voters who wanted tougher enforcement, 91 percent voted Republican. Immigration may not have been the issue voters most wanted politicians to address, but it still weighed heavily on their decisions.
Asked how important immigration enforcement policies were to their congressional vote, 36 percent called them crucial, and another 36 percent said they were a major factor. Immigration enforcement mattered to many voters, but it was not the issue that dominated the wider electorate. At least nine people have been killed in shootings involving immigration agents during Trump’s second term, as of November 3, 2026, according to The Trace.
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