Legal News & Advocacy
State-Level Laws Are Needed to Protect Immigrants in Maine from Mass Deportation
As high levels of immigration enforcement persist in Maine, ILAP and partners continue to advocate for ways that all levels of government can respond to protect Maine’s immigrant residents, communities, economy, and future.
In the first half of Maine’s current legislative session, ILAP was part of a successful effort to pass a major piece of legislation, LD 1971, which undercuts resources for the federal government’s enforcement agenda in Maine. That law, which will go into effect later in 2026, prohibits Maine’s law enforcement from diverting state and local public safety resources to assist the administration with civil immigration enforcement.
Now, in the second half of the state legislative session, ILAP and partners are pursuing another major bill, LD 2106. This bill would put in place the strongest possible protections at the state level to keep Maine’s public schools, hospitals, healthcare facilities, and libraries safer from immigration enforcement.
For decades, across both Democratic and Republican presidential administrations – including the first Trump administration – versions of federal policy existed that prohibited immigration enforcement at sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals.
The public policy reasons are clear and commonsense: ensuring that all children can attend school and that all people can seek medical care, access other basic services, and exercise their rights and religions, far outweighs the need to conduct immigration enforcement at these places.
“LD 1971 and LD 2106 are powerful state-level steps to protect Maine residents and
communities.”
Under the current federal administration, that longstanding policy was ended, and immigration officers are now permitted to conduct enforcement at these types of places at their discretion.
While people were already afraid to send their children to school and live normal lives given the high levels of immigration enforcement in Maine in 2025, the enhanced ICE operation in Maine in January 2026 brought the need for this law into new focus.
During the operation we saw ICE actively using schools and bus stops outside of medical centers to stalk people. One mother of four was racially profiled and taken by ICE shortly after dropping a child at school. ICE also profiled and arrested a certified nursing assistant and a mother who worked in an assisted living facility during the operation.
Even before the operation, in September 2025, a parent was arrested in a school driveway right after dropping his child at school – something that ICE has never provided a justification for.
Know Your Rights
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During the operation, an untold number of people completely withdrew from public life. Hospitals reported immigrant workers too afraid to come to work, schools reported thousands of student absences, and more.
In general, under the 4th Amendment, law enforcement can only access a private, protected area in three ways:
1. by receiving voluntary consent to enter,
2. presenting a valid judicial warrant or court order, or
3. emergency circumstances.
While LD 2106 cannot completely prohibit immigration officers from entering sensitive locations in Maine, it uses existing 4th Amendment rights to provide protection.
LD 2106 removes the option for workers at public schools, hospitals and healthcare facilities, and libraries to give voluntary consent to enter.
Instead, immigration officers would be required to procure a valid judicial warrant or court order to enter – ensuring some process and justification – unless there is an emergency.
LD 1971 and LD 2106 are powerful state-level steps to protect Maine residents and communities. At the same time, we must continuously call on our Congressional delegation to take action to stop the administration from its cruel, destructive, needless immigration agenda. And at the most local level, communities can pass ordinances that ensure local resources are not being diverted to the federal government for mass deportation.
2026 Policy & Advocacy Priorities
ILAP develops its annual policy and advocacy priorities based on the goals, needs, and vision of our clients and immigrant communities across Maine.
These policy priorities do not appear in any particular order.
Join the Movement for Immigrant Justice
Learn more about ILAP’s advocacy work at ilapmaine.org/advocacy and join our email list or follow us on social media to participate in future advocacy actions.