Dem
47
GOP
53
It is not clear why Donald Trump ordered ICE to invade airports. Was it because lines were horribly long and he felt he had to do something, anything, just to show he noticed it? Was it the dress rehearsal for invading the polling places in November to scare brown and Black votes away so they wouldn't vote? Was it just to show how manly and tough he is?
We don't know, but we do know two things. First it has been pointless, because the lines are just as long now with ICE as before ICE. Working at a security checkpoint requires detailed specialized training that ICE agents don't have. Yes, they can stand at an exit of the secured area and make sure nobody enters it that way, but the people who were guarding the exits weren't the highly trained people who look at x-rayed luggage. So replacing them with ICEmen doesn't actually reduce the lines at all.
Second, we know that travelers do not like or respect ICE or think their presence is a plus. Versight ran a poll and asked about these things. Here is how various law enforcement agencies stack up on the question "How much do you trust each agency to act professionally and follow the law?":
What stands out is that ICE and CBP are widely distrusted, in a whole different ballpark than say, the state police. More than half of Americans don't trust ICE to follow the law. While TSA is generally not loved, people do think that for the most part it follows the law.
The poll also asked if sending ICE to airports makes travel safer. More voted for less safe (39%) than more safe (30%). While they were at it, Verasight also asked about sending ground troops to Iran. And 72% oppose that. Among Democrats, that is 93%; among independents, it is 67% and among Republicans it is a small majority, at 51%. If Trump sends them in, his poll numbers will collapse. He may or may not be aware of that since everyone around him is careful not to tell him anything he might not like. (V)