Americans’ feelings about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency that enforces laws on border control, customs, trade and immigration, are split almost evenly down the middle, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center.
But when factoring in respondents’ political affiliations, the difference in opinion is more stark.
Seventy-two percent of the Republican respondents of Pew’s 1,000-person sample view ICE favorably, while only 20 percent of Democrats do.
Some Democrats have started to call for getting rid of the department, which was created in 2003. The department enforces immigration laws, has raided communities to find undocumented immigrants and has been accused of operating detainment camps rife with abusive practices.
Pew also asked respondents how they felt about the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has fallen out of the good graces of some Republicans. In January 2017, 65 percent of Republicans regarded the FBI favorably, Pew reported.
Now only 49 percent of Republicans think the bureau is doing a good job.
One department Americans (mostly) agree on?
The National Parks Service. Eighty-three percent of people surveyed have a favorable view of the department.
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