PORTLAND, Maine — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 50 people in Maine as the Department of Homeland Security launched an operation it is calling “Operation Catch of the Day,” according to a Fox News report aired Tuesday on “Special Report.”
The segment, reported by Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins, described the arrests as part of the Trump administration’s broader push to expand immigration enforcement operations into Maine.
The reported arrests came after days of speculation, and growing public anxiety, that federal immigration enforcement activity would intensify in Maine’s largest population centers, including Portland and Lewiston. Gov. Janet Mills said on Jan. 14 that her administration had been unable to confirm with federal officials whether any operations were planned, but said the state was taking steps to prepare and coordinate with municipalities and the attorney general’s office.
In her video statement, Mills warned federal officials against tactics she said would undermine civil rights and urged Mainers to protest peacefully if demonstrations occur. She also said she directed the Maine State Police to work with local law enforcement “as necessary” to provide support during any potential federal operations.
Local officials have also described uncertainty about federal plans. The mayor of Lewiston, Carl Sheline, said Tuesday that the city had seen an increased ICE presence, while adding that he had not heard directly from ICE or DHS about the activity. A DHS spokesperson told a local outlet that the agency does not confirm future law enforcement operations or disclose tactics.
In the days leading up to Tuesday’s Fox News report, local media outlets reported that Portland and Lewiston officials were bracing for a possible increase in ICE activity and that when ICE arrests are made in Maine, people may be booked at an ICE facility in Scarborough before being transferred out of state or to other detention locations.
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6388008505112
Elected officials and advocacy groups have also mobilized around the expected enforcement activity. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who represents Maine’s 1st Congressional District, issued a statement Jan. 15 saying her office was in communication with the governor, municipal leaders and community organizations as they prepared for increased enforcement, and urged residents to know their rights and protest peacefully.
Nationally, the Maine developments are unfolding amid an immigration enforcement environment that has drawn heightened scrutiny, including legal challenges and court rulings tied to how federal agents conduct operations and interact with observers and protesters.
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