Democrats won’t like this.
President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda is once again at the center of the national political debate, and a new NBC News poll offers a revealing look at how voters view U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement compared with socialism.
According to the September survey, 39% of registered voters said they had a positive view of ICE, while only 21% expressed a positive view of socialism. That means ICE received nearly twice the positive rating of socialism among those surveyed.
The numbers do not mean ICE has majority approval. In fact, 51% of voters reported a negative view of ICE, compared with 52% who viewed socialism negatively. The results instead show a sizable difference in the percentage of Americans willing to express a positive opinion of the two.
The findings arrive as immigration enforcement and the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates become prominent issues heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
ICE Draws More Positive Support Than Socialism
Trump has made immigration enforcement one of the defining priorities of his second administration, putting ICE at the center of efforts to apprehend and remove immigrants who are unlawfully present in the United States.
The new polling shows Americans remain divided over the agency.
While 39% have a favorable impression of ICE, 51% view it negatively. Even so, socialism received a considerably lower positive rating of just 21%.
The comparison could receive increased attention as Republicans and Democrats compete for voters concerned about border security, immigration enforcement and the ideological direction of the country.
Socialism Remains Unpopular With Many Voters
The NBC survey also highlights resistance to socialist politics among a substantial share of the electorate.
Only 21% of registered voters said they had a positive opinion of socialism. Meanwhile, the Democratic Socialists of America received a 22% positive rating in the broader NBC polling.
The survey also asked voters how they would respond to congressional candidates who support many policies associated with the Democratic Socialists of America.
Half of voters said such positions would make them less likely to support a candidate, while 31% said they would be more likely to do so.
Those numbers come after a series of progressive and democratic socialist candidates gained attention during Democratic primary contests.
That has intensified a larger debate within the Democratic Party about how closely candidates should align themselves with democratic socialism and other progressive economic policies.
Trump Continues to Target Socialist Policies
Trump has repeatedly criticized socialism and communism in public appearances while attempting to draw sharper contrasts between his administration and progressive Democrats.
Some politicians targeted by Trump identify as democratic socialists rather than communists, an important distinction because democratic socialism and communism are separate political traditions with different approaches to government, elections and private ownership.
The political argument has nevertheless become a recurring theme as Trump seeks to make ideological differences a major part of the midterm campaign.
Immigration Fight Expands Beyond Washington
The immigration debate is also producing major political and legal fights at the state and local levels.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly disagreed with the Trump administration over ICE enforcement, temporary protected status and federal immigration policy.
Mamdani recently said that he and Trump have an ongoing discussion about immigration despite what he described as “deep disagreements” between them.
New York City has also joined a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s new public-charge rule. City officials argue that the policy could discourage immigrant families from using certain health and food-assistance programs, while the administration has defended tougher immigration standards as part of its broader enforcement agenda.
The political rivals are scheduled to meet Monday at Gracie Mansion in New York City to discuss issues affecting the city and its residents. It will be their third face-to-face meeting since Mamdani’s election as mayor.
What the NBC Poll Actually Found
The NBC News poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters from September 11 through September 15 using a combination of telephone interviews and an online survey distributed by text message.
The poll carries a margin of error of approximately plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Those details are important because polling represents a snapshot of voter opinion rather than a prediction of what will happen in November.
The survey showed:
- 39% positive view of ICE
- 51% negative view of ICE
- 21% positive view of socialism
- 52% negative view of socialism
- 22% positive view of the Democratic Socialists of America
The results show that neither ICE nor socialism enjoys majority-positive ratings among registered voters.
However, when comparing favorable opinions directly, ICE’s 39% rating stands well above socialism’s 21% rating.
Immigration and Socialism Could Remain Major Midterm Issues
The findings underscore the complicated political environment surrounding the November elections.
Immigration remains a defining issue for the Trump administration, while democratic socialist candidates and policies continue to generate debate inside the Democratic Party.
For voters, the NBC numbers offer a clearer picture of public attitudes: ICE remains controversial, but socialism receives substantially fewer positive ratings.
As the midterm campaign continues, both parties are likely to keep debating immigration enforcement, economic policy and the role of government — issues that could help shape congressional races across the country.
For now, the latest NBC survey shows one unmistakable numerical difference: 39% of registered voters view ICE positively, compared with 21% who say the same about socialism.