PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland City Council is set to vote Monday, February 2, 2026, on an emergency resolve that would authorize Mayor Mark Dion to participate in litigation tied to a recent surge of federal immigration enforcement activity in Maine.
The measure, Resolve 7-25/26, sponsored by the mayor, cites what it describes as an “unprecedented” escalation that began January 20, when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security initiated stepped-up enforcement activity. In the resolve, Portland officials say the sudden increase has fueled fear and uncertainty among residents, with schools reporting drops in attendance and businesses and health care providers reporting staffing shortages that have led to reduced hours or even indefinite closures.
The resolution points to existing litigation filed by the Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul against DHS, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection — State of Minnesota et al. v. Kristi Noem, et al., Case No. 0:26-cv-00190 (D. Minn. 2026). Portland’s resolve would allow the city to participate in that case and similar litigation “in response to the increased immigration enforcement activities” in Portland and across Maine.
Because the council is being asked to adopt the item as an emergency measure, it would require seven affirmative votes for passage after public comment, according to the agenda language provided by the city.
https://portlandme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/8374/files/agenda/17357
Mayor’s prior comments and the controversy surrounding ICE activity
In recent public remarks, Dion has sharply questioned the need for a heavy federal presence, saying constituents have described enforcement actions as unpredictable and threatening to families. In a separate exchange during the same period, Dion urged calm and fact-based debate, arguing that if federal authorities are focused on “criminal” targets, “let them actually be criminals.”
The new resolve also arrives against the backdrop of earlier political friction in Portland over how closely the city should be compelled to cooperate with immigration authorities. In August 2025, Dion and city officials faced public pressure over a federal grant connected to the Portland International Jetport and language tying funding to cooperation with immigration enforcement. Dion said at the time the city did not agree to ICE-related conditions and signaled the city would challenge such requirements in court if necessary.
