Democratic Congressman Jared Golden is breaking with his partys increasingly radical base by voicing clear support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Maine and backing continued funding for federal border enforcement.
According to Gateway Pundit, Golden, a Democrat from Maine, has publicly endorsed ICEs targeted enforcement efforts, arguing that they serve the broader public interest even as many in his party call for the agencys defunding or abolition.
So long as this remains a targeted law enforcement operation focused on individuals who have engaged in criminal activities, then I believe it legitimately serves the public interest, Golden said in a statement to Maine Public, distancing himself from the open-borders rhetoric that dominates the modern Democratic Party. He later reinforced his position in a detailed post on X, underscoring that federal authorities not only have the power but the obligation to enforce immigration law.
Federal law enforcement agencies have the right and responsibility to enforce federal laws, including immigration laws, and a targeted law enforcement operation focused on individuals who have engaged in criminal activity serves the public interest. Its also true that for long-term stability and social cohesion, law enforcement requires public trust, Golden wrote, signaling a rare acknowledgment from a Democrat that public safety and the rule of law must come first. He added that DHS should prioritize its enforcement actions on public safety and must themselves comply with federal laws. Immigrants with legal status should not be targeted, court authorities should be obeyed and due process must be followed, a framework that aligns more closely with traditional law-and-order principles than with progressive sanctuary policies.
Golden also drew a firm line against left-wing attempts to obstruct ICE and other federal officers under the guise of protest. Free speech and lawful protest are protected rights, but regardless of how anyone feels about immigration policy or ICEs tactics, people must not obstruct or impede law enforcement activities, he stated, implicitly criticizing activist efforts to physically block deportations or raids. And all of us including public officials must resist the urge to amplify tensions or spread unverified reports. That is a recipe for confrontation and escalation that helps no one, he warned, a pointed rebuke to politicians who inflame anti-police sentiment for political gain.
His stance is not merely rhetorical: Golden was one of just seven House Democrats who sided with Republicans on Wednesday to continue funding the Department of Homeland Security, a key agency in securing the border and enforcing immigration law. That vote placed him squarely at odds with the partys progressive wing, which has repeatedly undermined enforcement while President Trump and conservatives have demanded stronger border security and accountability.
Last November, Golden announced he would not seek re-election after six years in Congress, citing the increasingly toxic climate in Washington. In his announcement, he pointed to political violence, polarization, and the grim milestone of his own party shutting the government down for the longest period in history as reasons for stepping aside, a striking indictment of Democratic leadership.
Im confident that were I to run again, I would win, he wrote at the time, making clear his departure was not driven by electoral weakness. But recent events have made me reconsider whether the good I can do in Congress still outweighs the cost to my family, he added, suggesting that the escalating dysfunction and extremism in his party had become intolerable.
Im proud of what Ive accomplished in decades of public service, Golden reflected, emphasizing his record even as he prepares to exit a Congress mired in partisan brinkmanship. Now, I look forward to my next chapter: raising my young daughters with Izzy and spending more time with our family and friends, he concluded, leaving behind a rare example of a Democrat willing to defend immigration enforcement and side with Republicans on basic questions of law, order, and responsible governance.
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