AUGUSTA, Maine — Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles is escalating his campaign’s law-and-order message with a new social media video accusing Maine’s Democratic governor and Legislature of blocking cooperation between state and local police and federal immigration authorities, particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, as rumors swirl about a possible increase in federal enforcement activity in Portland and Lewiston.
In the video, Charles portrays Maine as a state at risk, arguing that public safety depends on “deterrence” and close coordination among agencies. He says local and state officers “know better even than ICE where to go find people,” and claims Maine has roughly 8,000 people in the country illegally. He frames the issue not only as immigration enforcement but as part of a broader push against narcotics trafficking, blaming foreign sources for fentanyl and other drugs and tying his pitch to promises to cut crime, cut taxes and dismantle what he calls a corrupt, one-party system in Augusta.
Charles, a lawyer and former U.S. State Department official and naval intelligence officer, has leaned heavily on direct-to-camera videos as a near-daily feature of his campaign communications.
His latest message, sent directly to the Maine Wire, also lands as Maine’s political fight over the role of local police in federal immigration enforcement sharpens around LD 1971, which became law without Gov. Janet Mills’ signature. The measure is aimed at clarifying and limiting, when Maine resources can be used to assist with civil immigration enforcement. It does not take effect immediately; multiple outlets and advocacy groups report it will take effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns.
The official legislative summary shows LD 1971 was sponsored by Democratic Rep. Deqa Dhalac and passed the House by a one-vote margin in June 2025 before being held by the governor and later becoming law without her signature, with a listed law date of Jan. 11, 2026.
Charles argues that restrictions like LD 1971 weaken deterrence and send the wrong signal to criminals. In the video, he goes further, promising that, as governor, he would be “front and center” in removing people in the country illegally and even suggesting the creation of a “temporary immigration court” to process cases quickly. Immigration courts are part of the federal system, not state government; Charles presents the proposal as a way to accelerate removals and clear what he calls “false asylum claims.”
The immigration debate has been fueled in recent days by uncertainty over what, if anything, federal authorities plan to do in Maineand when. Portland Mayor Mark Dion has said he was told by someone “in the federal system” that ICE agents would be coming to the city within two weeks, while other reporting has noted that much of the information circulating publicly remains unverified and that federal agencies have not confirmed a surge.
Against that backdrop, Charles has positioned himself as an enthusiastic backer of any ICE increase in Maine’s largest cities. He has repeatedly posted pro-ICE messages and campaign videos urging residents to welcome federal enforcement, and he has argued that state leadership should be helping, not resisting.
His posture on immigration enforcement is also tied to a broader campaign theme: a claim that Maine’s political leadership has failed to impose oversight and accountability. Charles has made Rep. Dhalac a frequent target in recent months, including condemnation from Democratic leaders and criticism from some lawmakers.
https://twitter.com/Bobby4Maine/status/2000609799050834078/video/1
Charles has also linked those attacks to the widening controversy surrounding Gateway Community Services, the Portland-based MaineCare provider that has faced audits and escalating scrutiny. Maine Department of Health and Human Services has suspended MaineCare payments to Gateway amid suspected fraud allegations after an audit found more than $1 million in overbilling, adding to prior audits that found more than $660,000 in over billing. This reporter has visited both the Portland and Lewiston offices of Gateway, multiple times since the suspension and they have been closed to the public. The Maine Wire was on the ground when Homeland Security was at the Lewiston office in late December.
Charles’ campaign has pointed to that unfolding story as an example of what he calls a one-party “accountability” problem in Augusta, while critics argue he is turning complex policy and investigative questions into campaign weaponry.
The candidate’s pro-ICE positioning is not new. Last year, he posted a message and video aimed at then-candidate Donald Trump, urging federal intervention in Lewiston and calling for National Guard mobilization.
Charles also used the new video to highlight his campaign’s grassroots pitch. He says the effort has drawn more than 3,000 donations, with an average contribution of $35, and that most of his fundraising support comes from within Maine — claims echoed in at least one campaign-posted fundraising video.
With the June primary and November general election still months away, Charles is betting that immigration enforcement and frustration over rising costs, drugs and public safety,can cut across party lines in a state dominated by Democrats in Augusta. Whether the rumors of a near-term federal surge materialize, and how local officials respond if they do, appears likely to keep the issue front and center for both campaigns and city halls in the weeks ahead.
