Dem Rep. Praises Trump Order Cutting ICE Budget

Congressman says move to fund TSA is a positive step.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:30pm

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An avant-garde painting featuring overlapping, geometric shapes in red, white, and blue, conveying a sense of motion and fragmentation to represent the partisan debate over immigration policy.A fractured, abstract illustration captures the political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and border security policies.NYC Today

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) expressed approval for a recent executive order by President Donald Trump that reduces the budget of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in order to allocate more funding to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Why it matters

The comments from the Democratic congressman highlight the partisan divide over immigration enforcement and border security policies, with some on the left welcoming cuts to ICE's budget despite the agency's role in enforcing federal immigration laws.

The details

According to Rep. Goldman, the president's order will shift resources away from ICE and towards the TSA, which oversees airport security. The congressman characterized this as a 'great' move, suggesting the reduction in ICE's budget is a positive development.

  • The executive order was issued on Monday, March 31, 2026.

The players

Rep. Dan Goldman

A Democratic member of Congress representing New York's 10th congressional district.

President Donald Trump

The former president who issued the executive order reallocating funds from ICE to the TSA.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws in the United States.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The federal agency responsible for airport security and transportation safety in the United States.

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What they’re saying

“Great that Trump's order reduces ICE's budget to pay for the TSA. We need to focus more on transportation security and less on immigration enforcement.”

— Rep. Dan Goldman, U.S. Representative

What’s next

The White House has not provided additional details on the scope or timeline for implementing the budget changes between ICE and the TSA.

The takeaway

This executive action highlights the ongoing partisan debate over the appropriate role and funding levels for immigration enforcement agencies like ICE versus other homeland security priorities like aviation security overseen by the TSA.