Poll: Men, Republicans and older Montanans more likely to support ICE

Montanans are largely split on the issue of immigration enforcement, with men, Republicans and older adults largely approving and Democrats, women and younger adults largely opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a recent Montana Free Press-Rutgers Eagleton poll found.

The poll surveyed more than 800 registered voters in Montana and was conducted in late August and early September following several high-profile immigration arrests and legal disputes in the state. 

In the poll, 40% of Montanans said they strongly approved of ICE actions in the state, while 10% said they somewhat approved, 5% said they neither approve nor disapprove, 6% said they somewhat disapproved and 34% said they strongly disapproved. A majority of Republicans, 74%, said they strongly approved of ICE actions in Montana, while 15% said they somewhat approved. An overwhelming majority, 85%, of Democrats said they strongly disapproved of the job ICE is doing in Montana, while 9% said they somewhat disapproved. Men, meanwhile, were more likely than women to approve of ICE actions, with 60% of men and 40% of women expressing approval. Approval of ICE in Montana also increased with age, according to the poll.

Multiple immigration enforcement disputes in Montana have centered on local law enforcement’s cooperation or lack of cooperation with federal immigration agencies. Helena city commissioners last winter passed and then rescinded a resolution that would limit local law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE. And Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell is in a legal battle with state Attorney General Austin Knudsen about how much the county should cooperate with federal immigration agents.

A majority of registered voters in the state, 58%, said they support local law enforcement working with ICE and Border Patrol agents in all or most cases. Responses again fell along political party lines, with 96% of Republicans supporting local-federal cooperation in all or most cases and 89% of Democrats opposing it in all or most cases. 

Respondents were mostly split in their support for deporting all undocumented immigrants from the country. Most, 66%, said they support allowing undocumented immigrants the chance to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements over time. In another question, 72% of registered voters in the state said they support allowing immigrants who were brought as children into the country illegally the chance to become U.S. citizens if they meet some requirements over time. 

Respondents were also mostly split on whether they support hiring significantly more ICE agents in Montana. But an overwhelming majority of people surveyed said they support increased training and conduct standards for federal officers who enforce immigration laws. It was the poll’s only immigration-related question in which responses did not fall along political party lines. Democrats, independents and Republicans all said they strongly support increasing training for federal immigration officers. 

This Montana Insights Poll surveyed registered voters in Montana who were invited by text message to complete an online survey. Data was collected from August 27, 2026, to September 7, 2026. Participants were recruited using a probability-based method, meaning they were randomly drawn from the state’s registered voter file so every voter had a known chance of being invited. The results were weighted during analysis to reflect the demographics of Montana’s registered voters. The survey’s overall margin of error is +/- 4.2%. The full methodology is available to review here.