PORTLAND, Maine — U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, a Democrat, posted a video to social media warning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity could be imminent in Maine, as he and his wife have traveled to Norway during their IVF process.
In the video, Platner pointed to public statements from the mayors of Lewiston and Portland indicating ICE could conduct operations in their cities “possibly within days,” urging residents to “rise to this moment and protect our communities and neighbors.”
Platner’s message comes amid heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis during an ICE operation, an incident that has fueled protests nationally and in Maine.
Platner has been a vocal critic of ICE in other recent posts, calling for the agency to be dismantled and using profane language in condemnation of it.
That rhetoric has drawn pushback from critics who argue his attacks on ICE amount to hostility toward law enforcement, with some conservative commentators and Republican-aligned voices saying the agency is enforcing federal law and should be supported rather than targeted.
Chuck Ellis, host of the popular Muddy Waters podcast said, “Graham Platner continues to demonstrate why he would be a terrible lawmaker in advocating against lawful enforcement of current US law.”
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline, Portland Mayor Mark Dion and Governor Janet Mills have all made public statements about the announcement of ICE coming to Maine, as well.
Earlier this week, on Tuesday in Detroit President Donald Trump said in a speech at the Detroit Economic Club, “Somali scams were happening in Maine, too.”“They’re scammers. They always will be, and we’re getting them out,” “In Maine, it’s really crooked as hell, too.”
