The Department of Homeland Security saw the largest job approval increase among all federal agencies, according to a new Gallup poll.
The DHS job rating, measured as "excellent" or "good," rose from 10% to 42% since last year.
This rebound comes after the agency's rating hit a record low last year, though it remains below its 2017 peak of 59%.
In contrast to the DHS jump, six other agencies saw their job ratings deteriorate sharply.
The decline was greatest for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which dropped 20 percentage points in its positive rating.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) fell by 10 points, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declined by nine points in public approval.
The job performance ratings for the six declining agencies, FEMA, CIA, CDC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), now range from 25% to 31% positive.
The poll, conducted in early September 2025, found that the majority of agencies saw worsening ratings, but several also saw slight improvements driven by partisan shifts.
For instance, the Department of War saw a 9% gain in positive ratings from Republicans.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) saw a 9% increase from Republicans, giving the agency a 48% positive rating overall.
The Department of Veterans Affairs saw an 8% gain from Republicans.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Secret Service, and State Department also saw notable increases in positive ratings among Republicans, gaining 28%, 29%, and 24%, respectively.
However, the survey highlights a sharp partisan divide in most agencies' ratings, with views differing widely between Republicans and Democrats.
Reflecting a shift to a Republican administration, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents now evaluate nearly all agencies more positively than they did in 2024.
The rise in Republican ratings was broad across the government.
Republicans increased their positive rating of DHS by 59% and the War Department by 38%.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Secret Service, and Department of Justice also saw approval among Republicans jump by 28%, 29%, and 29%, respectively.
Majorities of Republicans give the Department of War 74% and DHS 73% positive ratings.
In contrast, the deterioration in overall ratings was driven by a sharp decline in Democrat approval for nearly all agencies.
The ratings of most agencies have fallen significantly among Democrats since last year.
Democrats lowered their positive rating for the FBI by 41% and the DHS by 39%.
The Department of War rating also fell 39% among Democrats.
Even agencies that typically enjoy broad support, like the CDC and the CIA, saw their Democrat approval fall by 31% and 34%.
For their part, Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents express majority-level positive ratings for only two agencies: the U.S. Postal Service at 66%, and NASA at 52%.
The largest partisan gap is for the DHS, with a 59% difference in ratings between the two major parties.
The War Department has the second-largest gap at 48%.
In contrast to the partisan swings, the U.S. Postal Service remains the sole government agency with a majority-level positive rating from the public overall at 56%.
The poll was conducted from Sept. 2-16, 2025, before the partial federal government shutdown that took effect on Oct. 1.
The DHS polling rise comes at a time when Democrats have criticized and filed lawsuits about the department's surge in criminal illegal immigrant enforcement throughout the country.