Our hearts are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Johan Sebastián, whose life was taken by ICE as he was on his way to work Monday morning, July 13th.
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Three new ICE Out of Maine laws took effect today, drawing a clear line between rogue federal agents and the essential places where Mainers live, learn, and heal. These laws will protect Maine communities and ensure that local officials and resources are never used to support dangerous and chaotic federal immigration operations…
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“The ICE Out laws are a necessary and key part of Maine’s response to the federal administration,” Roche said. “They are needed to protect all of us, and to begin to repair some of the trust in Maine’s public institutions where the trust has been lost.”
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“(These) laws are a necessary and key part of Maine’s response to the federal administration,” said Sue Roche, executive director of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project. “They are needed to protect all of us and to begin to repair some of the trust in Maine’s public institutions where trust has been lost.”
Parisio said ICE detention centers are on track to have their deadliest year yet, and that local ordinances are important to public safety and public trust, as many immigrants report being afraid to report crimes and abuse, assist as witnesses, seek protective orders, and send their children to school.
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Sue Roche, executive director of the Immigration Legal Advocacy Project, noted that ICE agents are federal agents, but the new laws can still govern how Mainers interact with them.
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Sue Roche, with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, said at a virtual press conference Tuesday the laws are a bulwark against federal policy. "While Maine cannot completely bar ICE from our state because that agency is under federal jurisdiction," Roche said, "we can and we must maximize the tools and protections that we have available to us at the state and local level."
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Sue Roche, executive director for ILAP, said her organization was aware of more than 50 incidents in 2025 in which state and local police called immigration officials, resulting in arrests.
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Lisa Parisio, policy director for the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project in Portland, said the juveniles are now living in a constant state of fear. "We have just seen and heard so many reports from families – young people of working age who are afraid to go to work, afraid to seek higher education, afraid to just start their lives," Parisio reported.
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