Maine Gov. Janet Mills as well as the mayors of Portland and Lewiston said Wednesday that they are preparing for an increase in federal immigration enforcement in the two cities next week.
But the details of any potential operation remain unclear. And Mills had strong words for the federal government.
"To the federal government I say this: if your plan is to come here to be provocative and to undermine the civil rights of Maine residents, do not be confused. Those tactics are not welcome here," Mills said.
Mills took the highly unusual step of releasing that video message Wednesday evening amid swirling speculation that Maine's two largest and most diverse cities could soon see a surge of federal immigration agents.
In the 3-minute video, Mills acknowledged that her office has been unable to confirm anything. But she said her administration is working closely with local and state police, city leaders and Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey ahead of any increased federal activity. The goal, she said, was to "protect the safety and the rights of the people of Maine."
"Maine knows what good law enforcement looks like because our law enforcement are held to high professional standards," Mills said. "They undergo substantial professional training and they are accountable to the law. And I'll tell you this: they don't wear a mask to shield their identities, and they don't arrest people in order to fill a quota."
The comments from Mills — who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins this fall — appear to be a response to the viral videos and pictures that have flooded social media and news pages in recent months. Many of those videos show heavily armed, masked agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal agencies pulling suspected undocumented immigrants out of their homes or cars.
The speculation about an increased federal presence in Maine also comes roughly a week after an agent fatally shot a woman in the head in her car in Minneapolis, prompting large protests in that city and elsewhere.
Earlier Wednesday, Portland Mayor Mark Dion said the community is anxious and fearful about the "understanding" that ICE plans to deploy agents to the city next week.
Dion rejected the need for a "paramilitary approach" to federal law enforcement. He urged residents to know their rights in case ICE stops them on the street, and added that Portland Police do not cooperate with ICE.
Also on Wednesday, Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said he expects ICE enforcement to become active their soon as well.
"I urge residents and businesses to know their rights and have a plan of action if ICE stops them in the street, visits their home, or visits their business," Sheline said in a statement. "As a reminder, Lewiston Police do not enforce federal law. I understand that this is an unsettling time for many of our residents. Lewiston is a strong city and we care about our community and each other. Please check on your neighbors and stay safe."
Neither mayor offered more details. ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lewiston and Portland are home to Maine's largest communities of Somali immigrants — a population that President Donald Trump has attacked verbally in recent weeks and that has been targeted with increased immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
The stepped-up enforcement in Minnesota coincides with a growing scandal over potential Medicaid fraud in that state reportedly tied to some in the Somali community. Federal officials also recently raided a nonprofit in Maine — founded by a Somali-American — that state officials have referred to the state attorney general's office for a potential fraud investigation.
Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent, said in a statement that he share others' concerns about a surge in federal law enforcement "given the videos and headlines we have seen from operations conducted in other states – many of them reckless, heartless, and irreversibly destructive."
"In the days ahead, I want to encourage everyone to look out a little closer for one another and be mindful of the rights that our Constitution gives to every man, woman, and child in this nation," King said. "If you witness any lawlessness done cloaked in the cause of federal law enforcement, please alert your local leaders, state officials, and federal delegation."
