While the intense surge of immigration enforcement ended in late January, ICE activity continues in Maine. We find out about recent arrests, what has happened to those who were detained earlier, and whether immigrant communities are still living in fear. We’ll also learn about policy and legal action to curtail enforcement in Maine.
Read MoreWe find out about the status of the Immigration & Customs Enforcement presence in Maine. What has changed since Senator Susan Collins announced that the increased ICE operations were stopping? More than 200 people were detained during the surge of arrests. Where are they now? What are lawmakers doing? And how are communities faring?
Read MoreJust before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Emily Lambdin was at work at Austin Street Brewery in Portland's Bayside neighborhood, when a commotion across the street caught her eye.
She said four unmarked vehicles had surrounded a car across the street, and about half a dozen officers wearing tactical vests and masks were wrestling a man out of the car. Lambdin began filming.
Read MoreGov. Janet Mills and the mayors of Portland and Lewiston say they're bracing for a potential increase in immigration enforcement operations as soon as next week. Details remain scarce, and a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Wednesday the agency does not discuss future or potential operations.
Read MoreGov. Janet Mills and the mayors of Portland and Lewiston say they're bracing for a potential increase in immigration enforcement operations as soon as next week. Details remain scarce, and a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Wednesday the agency does not discuss future or potential operations.
But Melissa Brennan, co-legal director at the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, is urging Mainers to know their rights when interacting with federal immigration agents.
Read MoreSeveral thousand Somali immigrants in the U.S. could soon face deportation after the Trump administration today announced it is terminating Temporary Protected Status for the African nation. But the effect on communities in Maine is unclear.
Read More"We are really just thrilled about this," said Sue Roche, the executive director of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project.
Roche said this will ensure that Maine's resources are being used properly.
"It instructs Maine's law enforcement to focus on the important role of protecting public safety, and not to divert local resources to assist the federal administration in reaching its immigration enforcement quotas," she said.
Read MoreSue Roche, executive director of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, hailed the Governor's decision, saying in a written statement that it "ensures that Maine’s resources aren’t being diverted to further terrorize individuals and families, rip workers out of their jobs, destroy public trust, and create chaos and fear."
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