Following the deadly shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, Fox News figures have been claiming the agency has broad public support and that polls support that claim. In fact, polls from CNN, Quinnipiac University, and Yahoo News-YouGov found that majorities did not support the ICE agent’s use of deadly force.
Research/Study
New polling shows a majority of Americans are concerned about ICE's killing of Renee Good. Fox News figures have claimed otherwise.
CNN polling found that over half of Americans thought ICE’s shooting of Renee Good was an “inappropriate use of force” and that roughly half of Americans believe ICE is “making cities less safe.” Other polls found similar numbers.
Written by Jane Lee & Helena Hind
Published
-
Polls show a majority of Americans do not support ICE’s use of force in the shooting of Renee Good
-
- CNN polling found that over half of Americans thought ICE’s shooting of Renee Good was an “inappropriate use of force” and that roughly half of Americans believe ICE is “making cities less safe.” CNN also noted independents’ disapproval of ICE: “The subset of independents who don’t lean toward either party also express opposition to ICE’s actions, with more than half saying that ICE enforcement is making cities less safe, and that the shooting is a sign of bigger issues with the way it operates.” [CNN, 1/14/26]
- A Quinnipiac poll conducted after Renee Good’s death showed that 53% of voters believe her shooting was “not justified,” and 57% disapprove of the way ICE is enforcing immigration laws. A YouGov poll showed similar findings, with 53% of respondents saying the shooting was not justified. [Quinnipiac, 1/13/26; YouGov, 1/14/26]
-
Fox News have claimed ICE has broad support — and in one case even dismissed polling to do so
-
- On Fox & Friends, Alpha News journalist Liz Collin claimed that “the majority of Minnesotans here do support them doing their jobs. Polling has indicated that in the state of Minnesota.” U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino similarly told CBS News’ Minnesota affiliate that “90% to 95% of Minnesotans … like us here,” and the outlet noted: “WCCO has not been able to find any recent Minnesota-centered polling on ICE's activities, but a national YouGov poll this month says 52% of Americans disagree with the ICE operations.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 1/8/26; CBS News; 1/13/26]
- Collin appeared on Jesse Watters Primetime to reiterate her claim, saying of local leaders who have spoken out against ICE: “Recent polling shows that these guys are not speaking for the majority of Minnesotans. They support ICE efforts.” Host Jesse Watters emphasized her point: “So you're saying most people in Minnesota support the ICE raids and this is just more of a small, angry contingent of people that are drumming up all this violence?” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 1/8/26]
- Regarding a push from some Democrats to defund ICE in the next government shutdown, Sean Hannity said on his radio show, “Good luck with that because most people support law and order.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 1/12/26; CNN, 1/8/26]
- Fox & Friends co-host Charles Hurt speculated that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey softened his language toward ICE because “they must be looking at some really bad polling.” Hurt: “You can't deny the fact that this is a major reversal on the part of Frey, and I can't help but think that there's something going on that is forcing him into this reversal.” He continued: “We started to see this earlier this week where he said, no, no, no, I'm all in favor of letting ICE do ICE things. No, that's not the same thing as, ICE, get the f out. So clearly something is going on, and I can't help but imagine that it has something to do with the polling. … Makes you kind of think, man, they must be looking at some really bad polling right now.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 1/14/26]
- Host Laura Ingraham dismissed CNN polling showing a majority of Americans believe ICE’s use of force was inappropriate in the shooting of Renee Good: “Always remember, the best propagandists pick and choose data points, and they disregard others.” Ingraham: “Distorted commentary like that, it circulates. Then what happens? A poll is conducted by a friendly pollster. CNN and friends touts CNN's poll. … Now, always remember, the best propagandists pick and choose data points, and they disregard others, and they do that to whip up public sentiment in their preferred direction.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 1/14/26]
- Fox contributor Kellyanne Conway dismissed the inclusion of questions about the Minneapolis ICE shooting in polls as “nonsense.” Conway: “I know people are now putting in their polls all this nonsense about, what do you think about ICE after what happened in Minneapolis, and how much trust you have in institutions. Folks, they don't trust the media, the mainstream media, and they don't trust Congress for a reason. You've earned that over time.” [Fox News, The Five, 1/14/26]
- Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy said swing voters will “wind up turning around” on their views of ICE: “Eventually they'll get it that it doesn’t have to be this way.” Doocy: “This is going to wind up turning around because, as we have seen so many times, when it comes to the swing voters, they look at — OK, look, the ICE guys are trying to do a job. They are enforcing federal law. They've been ordered by the president to do what they're doing and they're standing in the way and they’re impeding it. And I think eventually they'll get it that it doesn’t have to be this way.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 1/15/26]