Minneapolis shooting backlash hits Trump as poll shows majority Americans want Kristi Noem gone

A majority of American voters believe Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should be removed from office following the fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti during a federal immigration operation, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll that also shows deep public scepticism over the Trump administration’s account of the incident.

The national survey, released Wednesday, found 58% of voters think Noem should be removed as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, while 34% believe she should remain in the role.

Among Republicans, 17% said Noem should be removed, while 74% said she should remain in the post. Among Democrats and independents, the sentiment was overwhelmingly in the opposite direction.

Quinnipiac’s Tim Malloy described the result as a stark rebuke of the administration’s top homeland security official.

“A strong no confidence vote for the beleaguered top cop at Homeland Security whose agency's job performance is considered dismal enough by voters that she should be let go,” added Malloy.

The incident occurred after Pretti — who was armed with a legally owned and holstered gun — stepped between federal agents and a woman they pushed to the ground. Several members of the Trump administration argued agents were justified in shooting him.

Noem claimed Pretti brandished his gun, despite video evidence showing that did not happen.

The poll found Democrats (93% to 2%) and independents (65% to 20%) believe the administration has not been honest, while Republicans (60% to 19%) believe the administration has given an honest account.

The demand reflects the fact that Minnesota state officials have not been able to launch their own probe, leaving questions over accountability unresolved.

The survey also found that 78% of voters say they have seen video of the shooting, while 21% have not.

The poll also indicates broader reputational damage for federal immigration enforcement in the wake of the incident.

Fifty-nine percent of voters said the recent shootings in Minneapolis were a sign of wider problems in how ICE is operating, while 32% said they were isolated incidents.

That marks a decline from a Quinnipiac poll conducted in January, when 40% approved and 57% disapproved.

Ninety-two percent of voters said ICE agents should be required to wear body cameras, while 5% said they should not.

A majority of respondents — 61% — said ICE agents should not be permitted to wear masks or other face coverings, while 35% said they should be permitted.

“Voters to ICE: Show us your faces and we want those body cameras worn,” added Malloy.

Thirty-seven percent of voters approved of how Trump is handling his job as president, while 56% disapproved — a slight improvement from mid-January, when 54% disapproved.

On immigration specifically, 38% approved of Trump’s handling of immigration issues, while 59% disapproved — down from 44% approval in a Quinnipiac poll conducted in December 2025.

The survey also found that 60% of voters believe the Trump administration is being too harsh in its treatment of undocumented immigrants, while 30% said it was handling the issue about right and 7% said it was being too lenient.

Nearly six in 10 voters (59%) said they would prefer giving most undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal status, while 34% said they would prefer deporting most undocumented immigrants.

Forty-seven percent of voters said they know someone living in fear because of the administration’s deportation policies, while 51% said they do not.

“A chilling survey of the 'American neighborhood' shows nearly half of us know someone who is afraid of being swept up by ICE,” added Malloy.