Trump Immigration Approval Plummets to 39% as Americans Declare Federal Agents' Tactics Have 'Gone Too Far'

President Donald Trump is watching his immigration approval rating sink to just 39 per cent, a staggering reversal for what used to be his strongest card. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday, 53 per cent of Americans now disapprove of how he's handling immigration, whilst 58 per cent think federal agents have crossed a line in their enforcement operations.

The poll, which ran from Friday through Sunday, captured reactions before and after Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, during immigration operations in Minneapolis on Saturday. This marks the second time this month that federal immigration officers have fatally shot a US citizen in Minnesota, setting off protests across the country and putting the administration's mass deportation strategy under intense scrutiny.

From Winning Issue to Political Liability

Just a year ago, in February after his second inauguration, Trump was riding high on immigration with 50 per cent approval against 41 per cent disapproval. That's an 11-point swing in the wrong direction.

'The approval for Donald Trump on an issue that worked for him, immigration, is down and going down further,' Larry Jacobs, who teaches public affairs at the University of Minnesota, told Fox News Digital.

The poll questioned 1,139 US adults with a margin of error of around three percentage points. Political divides are glaring: roughly nine out of 10 Democrats and six out of 10 independents say agents have gone too far, whilst only two out of 10 Republicans agree.

What Actually Happened to Alex Pretti

Right after the shooting, Department of Homeland Security officials said Pretti 'approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun' and fought back when they tried to disarm him. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem labelled his actions 'domestic terrorism' and claimed he showed up ready 'to inflict maximum damage'.

But videos tell another story entirely. Analysis of footage from multiple angles shows federal agents already had Pretti's handgun before they fired at least 10 shots at him in five seconds. Verified videos show Pretti holding his mobile phone whilst recording officers three minutes before shots rang out, contradicting the claim he approached agents brandishing a weapon.

'Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs,' Pretti's family said in a statement. 'He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head whilst trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all whilst being pepper sprayed.'

Republicans Start to Break Ranks

Even some on the right are getting nervous. A veteran Republican strategist who didn't want to be named told Fox News Digital that the enforcement mistakes have turned an advantage into 'either a neutral issue or a net negative at best'.

Trump's overall approval has also taken a hit, dropping to 38 per cent and matching the lowest point of his current term. Still, the poll shows Americans trust Republicans slightly more than Democrats on immigration—37 per cent to 32 per cent.

Political Fallout Intensifies

Pretti's death came just 17 days after ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good, another 37-year-old US citizen in Minneapolis. Trump claimed Good 'viciously ran over' the agent, but videos from the scene told a different story—a pattern that's now repeating itself with disturbing consistency.

Chris Madel, a Minneapolis lawyer who was running for Minnesota governor as a Republican, dropped out of the race on Monday, citing federal 'retribution' against his state and calling ICE operations there an 'unmitigated disaster'. This is notable because Madel previously represented the ICE agent who shot Good earlier this month.

The shootings have dominated news cycles and sparked demonstrations in major cities nationwide. A GoFundMe for Pretti's family crossed $1 million within 24 hours. The NBA even postponed a Minnesota Timberwolves game Saturday over safety concerns, holding moments of silence for both Pretti and Good before the rescheduled match.

Trump announced he's sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to meet with Mayor Jacob Frey. He described a call with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as 'very good'. Frey confirmed some federal agents would start leaving Minneapolis on Tuesday, though he wants them all gone.

Why This Matters Beyond Minnesota

As congressional midterm elections loom, immigration enforcement now risks becoming a political millstone for Republican candidates. The gap between what government officials claim happened and what bystander videos show has gutted public trust in federal accounts of these incidents.

Law enforcement experts have questioned whether the Minneapolis tactics meet professional standards, with some suggesting poor training for dealing with civilians in urban settings. The Reuters/Ipsos data makes clear that Americans draw a distinction between wanting border security and supporting the methods being used to achieve it. That distinction could reshape immigration politics heading into the midterms, potentially turning Trump's greatest electoral weapon into one of his biggest vulnerabilities.