A recent poll conducted by GBAO on behalf of Hands Off Chicago found that most Chicago-area voters have negative views of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and President Donald Trump’s expanded deportation efforts, as the city prepares for Tuesday’s primary election on March 17.
The findings suggest that immigration enforcement is a major concern for voters in the region, which could influence their choices at the polls. The survey included 800 registered voters from Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry and Will counties between March 1-4.
According to the poll results, only 33 percent of respondents approve of Trump’s overall job performance and just 35 percent approve of his handling of immigration. Sixty-three percent reported negative impressions of ICE. Additionally, seven in ten likely voters said a candidate’s stance on ICE is either the most important or a very important factor in deciding whom to support.
Lawrence Benito, executive director of Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights and member group of Hands Off Chicago, said in a press release: “This research shows that voters across demographics are deeply opposed to Trump’s immigration agenda, and that his violent and hostile approach has further motivated and mobilized people across Illinois against it. As we head into Tuesday’s election, watch for those who stood up strongly against ICE and Operation Midway Blitz to perform better than those who were silent or sat on the sidelines.”
Operation Midway Blitz was an immigration mission launched by federal agents in Chicago during the fall. The campaign led to thousands of arrests. Agents also killed a man, shot a woman five times, and tear-gassed a one-year-old child. While officials said they targeted undocumented immigrants with serious criminal histories—described as “the worst of the worst”—records showed most arrested did not have criminal records.
Attempts by the Trump administration to prosecute protestors arrested outside ICE’s Broadview holding facility have mostly failed; many cases continue to be dropped or dismissed as recently as last week. Immigration enforcement has also been debated within Chicago City Council and by Mayor Brandon Johnson. During Operation Midway Blitz, Johnson issued several executive orders aimed at preventing federal agents from conducting civil immigration enforcement on city property or at private businesses.
Most aldermen have opposed Trump’s immigration policies in Chicago. With candidates able to start circulating petitions for next year’s general elections beginning in July, observers expect immigration enforcement will remain a central issue.
