The debate over federal funding continues as voters discuss the prospect of defunding the Department of Education. Voters on the right view the agency as a bloated bureaucracy pushing progressive ideology at the expense of academic performance. Those on the left frame federal oversight as essential to maintaining educational equity.

Recent controversies around DOGE’s financial investigations into federal spending intensify scrutiny of the Department’s budget. The exposure of wasteful government allocations emboldens Republicans demanding education reform and defunding.

Maxine Waters (D) is currently accosting random federal employees outside the Department of Education pic.twitter.com/5L8RviQ9rH

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 7, 2025

Overall Sentiment

• 64% of those discussing defunding the Department of Education oppose the idea
• 36% of voters nationally support it

Opposition is largely driven by concerns over education equity, access to resources, and the fear of widening disparities between wealthy and low-income school districts. Supporters want to dismantle the Department, which they see as part of the federal bureaucracy, exempt from accountability. This group believes states are better positioned to govern their own education systems.

Strong Republican Support

Among Republicans, 57% support defunding the Department. They see it as a failed institution that funnels taxpayer dollars into bureaucracy rather than classrooms. Many conservatives point to the decline in U.S. education rankings since the agency’s establishment in 1979 as evidence that federal involvement has done more harm than good.

Fiscal conservatives say eliminating the Department would allow states to redirect billions toward local education initiatives or even return funds to taxpayers. There is also a strong demand for spending audits, with increasing skepticism of where education dollars are going. The perception that DEI programs, ideological curriculum mandates, and wasteful foreign education aid drives Republican frustration.

The cultural war in education is another driving factor. Controversies over progressive curriculums, transgender policies, and race-based education initiatives causes conservatives to view federal control as a tool for leftist social engineering. Parent uproar against things like a kindergarten LGBTQ pride book in the Penfield Central School District amplify calls for dismantling the Department.

Democrats Cling to Their Power

Around 85% of Democrats discussing this issue oppose defunding or dismantling the Department. They say federal involvement is essential to ensuring equal access to education. They say states cannot be trusted to provide a consistent standard of quality, fearing inequalities between wealthy and poor school districts.

There is also a strong defense of federal funding for disadvantaged students, with many on the left saying minority and low-income students would suffer without it. Partisan Democrats frame education as a fundamental right, not a discretionary budget item. They warn cuts could undermine public schools in favor of privatization efforts.

However, some moderate Democrats express frustration with inefficiencies in the Department, particularly when it comes to spending allocation and administrative bloat. While they oppose defunding, they acknowledge that federal education spending needs reform, particularly in reducing unnecessary expenditures.

Institutional Resistance

The strongest opposition to defunding comes from teachers and education administrators, with 80% rejecting the proposal. This group says cutting federal funding would jeopardize key programs, particularly those supporting special education, rural schools, and low-income communities.

Teachers frequently cite underfunded schools, teacher shortages, and the growing challenges of classroom management as reasons why the federal government should be increasing, not decreasing, its role in education. There is also concern that without federal funding, state governments will be forced to make cuts that will harm students rather than improve efficiency.

Fiscal Priorities and Political Realities

The debate over defunding or dismantling the Department of Education is part of a larger battle over federal spending priorities. DOGE’s recent revelations about government waste have amplified fiscal conservative calls for significant budget cuts and reducing federal bureaucracy.

Some Republicans argue funds should be redirected to domestic infrastructure, law enforcement, or national security rather than federal education programs they see as ideologically driven and grossly mismanaged. Others argue cutting education funding at a time of rising inflation and economic uncertainty is politically untenable, calling instead for reform.

The battle between the Trump administration and liberals—including judges—over federal funding is heating up. Media narratives and Democratic talking points frame the issue as an authority or constitutionality question. The Trump administration and its supporters frame the issue as Washington bureaucrats desperately clawing to maintain their seat on a federal gravy train—at the taxpayer’s expense.

The Trump team, led by Elon Musk and DOGE, is pursuing aggressive cuts to bloated and mismanaged federal agencies like USAID. These efforts are drawing legal challenges, with courts stepping in to block funding freezes and redirections, particularly in areas related to foreign aid, border security, and social programs.

Judicial interventions fuel the ongoing debate over the scope of executive authority. While past administrations exercised discretion over federal spending without comparable legal pushback, Trump’s efforts to audit and reshape government expenditures have been met with swift injunctions and protests and hysterics from Democrats.

I can't stop laughing at this.

Chuck Schumer and Maxine Waters holding hands and chanting "We Will Win" after losing everything just 90 days ago.

The Democrat Party is toast. pic.twitter.com/g8cRDwcjrY

— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) February 4, 2025

The “Constitutional Crisis” Narrative

The Democratic Party and media outlets are framing Trump’s swift and decisive actions on the budget as part of a broader threat to constitutional governance. They claim Trump is defying court rulings, accusing him of authoritarianism. They often compare him to historical strongmen, calling his actions a “constitutional crisis.”

This argument, however, does not stand up to scrutiny. Public sentiment does not support the idea that Trump is dismantling constitutional norms.

MIG Reports data shows:

• 68% of voters disagree that Trump’s actions are creating a constitutional crisis
• 32% accept the premise

Most Americans see these legal battles as political maneuvers rather than genuine threats to democracy. They say, if there is an actual crisis, it is Democratic resistance to auditing federal agencies. People view the vociferous pushback against executive oversight of agencies as the bureaucratic class fighting to maintain control.

• Sentiment in discussions about USAID is low, dropping to 35% in the last week.
• DOGE discussions are also negative but recovering to 38% on Feb. 11.

Voters Distrust in Government Spending

Much of the opposition to Trump’s budget cuts stems from what his supporters see as an entrenched system of fiscal waste in a “deep state” which has been unaccountable for decades. Reports of a staggering $3 trillion in government waste since 2004 fuel calls for reform, with voters increasingly angry about how their taxpayer dollars are spent.

The USAID controversy exemplifies this concern.

• 60% of voters believe USAID has surreptitiously funded Hamas, after reports alleging the agency funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into organizations later linked to terrorism.
• 55% believe USAID funding contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing financial ties to gain-of-function research in Wuhan.
• 65% believe the Biden administration enabled waste, fraud, and abuse, prioritizing globalist policies over American interests

Further fueling skepticism is FEMA’s reported $59 million expenditure on luxury hotel accommodations for illegal immigrants. These revelations reinforce anger that government priorities are misaligned with the needs of American taxpayers.

Judicial Obstruction or Necessary Oversight?

Trump’s efforts to cut federal funding have been met with an aggressive judicial response, sparking debates over the proper role of the courts. Democratic voters largely see judicial interventions as necessary safeguards against executive overreach.

Republican voters view the courts as a political weapon used to obstruct much-needed reforms. They say similar or worse violations happened during the Biden administration and Democrats made no objections and no legal actions.

The broader issue is selective judicial activism. While Trump’s budgetary decisions face immediate legal challenges, many believe Democrats freely exercised funding discretion in the past.

Obama’s executive actions on immigration, for example, went largely unchallenged by the courts, despite sidestepping congressional approval. Biden draws similar criticisms for his actions on differed rent and student loan debt. The disparity in legal scrutiny suggests politicized judges are not acting as impartial arbiters.

Elon Musk, DOGE, and the Push for Accountability

Perceptions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) complicate the debate over fiscal accountability. Elon Musk and his team of young tech whiz analysts are drawing attention and criticism. Their role in exposing financial mismanagement across federal agencies is fueling accusations of misused power, unelected influence, and questions of security clearance.

While critics warn of an unelected billionaire influencing government decisions, supporters see Musk’s involvement as a necessary counterweight to entrenched bureaucratic inefficiency.

DOGE’s findings lend credibility to conservative calls for reform. Reports that $50 billion per year is funneled to individuals with no verified Social Security numbers raise alarms over entitlement fraud. This, coupled with revelations that Ukraine war refugees have been placed on American welfare rolls, has further galvanized public opinion against unchecked government spending.

Partisan battles over immigration continue to cause tension between average Americans and leftist activists. Securing the border is overwhelmingly popular among voters, including a growing segment of Democrats. This causes anti-ICE and anti-deportation activism by The Squad to draw sharp backlash online.

Voter Sentiment on ICE Enforcement

Americans increasingly perceive the Democratic border policies as failures, with 75% expressing negative views on Biden-era immigration practices. But frustration extends to activist Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib, who have openly fought to thwart ICE deportations and protect illegal immigrants.

Within the limited discussions praising anti-ICE activism, 60% of comments immediately draw counterarguments promoting strict immigration law enforcement. Public frustration over illegal immigration and funding spent on illegals is reaching a tipping point.

The overwhelming majority of voters—including Democrats—support stronger border security and oppose leniency. This sentiment has been reinforced by Democratic efforts to block enforcement mechanisms, creating perceptions that the left prioritizes migrants over American citizens.

MIG Reports data shows, in all border discussions:

• 75% negative sentiment toward Biden-era border policies and funding migrant accommodations.
• 65% negative toward Democratic policies perceived as enabling illegal immigration.
• 35% extreme disapproval of Democrats actively fighting deportations.
• 80% negative sentiment toward FEMA and DHS misallocating funds to house migrants over American citizens.

This is a structural shift in the immigration debate. Previously controversial views that sanctuary cities and anti-ICE activism undermine national security are now mainstream. Voters, particularly Independents who lean nearly 2:1 pro-Trump, are growing impatient with Democrats prioritizing illegal migrants while crime and economic instability worsen.

AOC’s ICE-Avoidance Webinar

Few events have crystallized this frustration more than AOC’s recently exposed ICE-avoidance webinar. She advised illegal immigrants on how to evade federal law enforcement. She encouraged illegal immigrants to remain silent, refuse entry to ICE agents, and use legal loopholes to avoid deportation.

AOC’s activism ignited a firestorm, with many accusing her of aiding and abetting illegal immigration—a charge now under review by the Department of Justice following a referral from former ICE Director Tom Homan.

Voter reaction was swift and damning:

• Discussions about AOC’s activism push back with pro-enforcement arguments.
• Calls for her censure, prosecution, or removal from office surge across conservative and centrist circles.
• The event reinforces perceptions that Democrats—particularly The Squad—are shielding illegal immigrants at the expense of Americans.

This backlash isn’t limited to Ocasio-Cortez. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and other Squad members are frequently tied to policies that voters see as reckless and dangerous. Their consistent advocacy for reduced ICE deportations and expanded protections for illegals alienate voters who are already angry with Democratic immigration policies.

Financial and National Security Concerns

The opposition to Democrats intertwines with discussions of financial mismanagement and national security.

• 80% negative sentiment toward FEMA and DHS for diverting taxpayer funds to migrant accommodations.
• A recent FEMA corruption scandal—involving $59 million in luxury hotel payments for illegals—has become a symbol of wasteful spending.
• Voters increasingly link sanctuary policies to crime, cartel influence, and human smuggling networks.

Americans view Biden administration policies as enabling illegal immigration as taxpayers foot the bill. Worse, law enforcement corruption cases—such as the arrest of Border Patrol agent Manuel Perez Jr. for cartel smuggling operations—fuel fears the system is broken at its core.

Political Consequences for Democrats

With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, Democrats face a growing problem. Immigration is emerging as a top-tier issue, and their party is increasingly viewed as soft on border security.

• Independents, already leaning toward Trump on immigration, are unlikely to back Democrats who oppose ICE.
• The Squad’s anti-enforcement stance is toxic outside deep-blue districts—hurting Democratic candidates in swing states.
• The GOP has successfully framed Biden’s immigration failures as a Democratic liability, ensuring the issue remains central in future elections.

The data is clear: Voters overwhelmingly favor stricter enforcement over leniency. The left’s embrace of anti-ICE activism is both unpopular and politically dooming.