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 MoreA representative from the Maine Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project warned lawmakers that tenants face increasing risks regardless of their immigration status, pointing to a number of recently exposed cases of unlawful detentions.
“In relationships where there are power dynamics, including landlord and tenant, weaponizing ICE is not new,” Policy Director Lisa Parisio testified during the hearing. “But in this environment, the stakes and human consequences are at their highest.”
Read MoreLawyers say it has become harder to locate detainees arrested and flown out of New England since ICE’s recent enforcement surge.
Read MoreIt was quiet at the Grace African & Caribbean Food Mart on Main Street in Westbrook Tuesday afternoon. The store had not seen any customers all day, and only one person came in the day before.
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 MoreU.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ended its immigration crackdown in Maine, but in communities that have been gripped by fear and uncertainty for more than a week, the news was met with caution and skepticism, not celebration. “In the current environment, with the federal government flagrantly disregarding due process and attempting to indiscriminately deport as many people as they can, having your attorney by your side during any ICE appointment is beyond critical,” Roche said in a written statement.
Read MoreMaine – The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project is seeing a drop in new requests for emergency legal help for people arrested by ICE in Maine. We have responded to over 60 requests for help made on behalf of people detained by ICE and are actively fighting to secure the freedom of many of these detained individuals. We hope that ICE’s enhanced operation in our state has ended, but we caution people that an end to the operation does not mean the end of all ICE or Border Patrol enforcement in our state now or going forward.
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