Nearly half of Americans say they disapprove of President Trump’s decision to deploy Marines to Los Angeles amid widespread protests over recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, according to a new poll released Tuesday.
The YouGov flash survey found that 47 percent of respondents disagreed with the move, while 34 percent supported it and 19 percent said they were unsure. The results show a sharp divide along political lines, with Democrats far more likely to oppose the deployment compared to Republicans. Among independents, half of those polled said they were against Trump’s decision.
On Tuesday, Trump ordered approximately 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles to support the 4,000 National Guard troops already stationed in the area. The military presence was meant to bolster security for federal buildings and employees. California Governor Gavin Newsom opposed the move, warning that it would escalate tensions rather than ease them.
The protests began over the weekend following ICE’s workplace raids on Friday, which led to numerous detentions and have since sparked demonstrations throughout the city.
According to the poll, 68 percent of Republican respondents approved of Trump’s call to send in the Marines, while only 13 percent opposed it and 19 percent were unsure. On the other side, 75 percent of Democrats surveyed said they disapproved of the military deployment, with just 12 percent in support and 13 percent undecided. The divide underscores the ongoing partisan split over Trump’s handling of immigration enforcement and the use of military force in domestic matters.