ICE Out of Maine

Maine communities are stronger and safer without ICE. See how you can get involved to make sure state and local officials follow Maine's ICE Out laws to keep rogue agencts out of the places that make our communities safe, strong, and healthy.

In January 2026, the Trump administration launched “Operation Catch of the Day” in Maine. Federal officials claimed they would target only the “worst of the worst” and help keep communities safe. Instead, communities across the state watched as roughly 200 of their neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family members were detained.

In response to the Trump administration’s lawless campaign, Maine lawmakers passed three ICE Out of Maine Laws: ICE Out of Policing, ICE Out of Our Homes, and ICE Out of Schools and State Healthcare. They took effect on July 29, 2026.

These laws protect our communities and ensure that local officials, agencies, and resources are not used to support reckless and chaotic federal immigration enforcement operations.

Holding Federal Agents Accountable

We filed five administrative claims against the federal government on behalf of people who suffered abuse at the hands of rogue federal immigration agents. The filings are part of a coordinated nationwide effort by the ACLU involving 54 claims across 17 states and Washington, D.C.

The claims were filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), one of the few legal tools available to seek financial compensation for wrongdoing by federal government employees. Through this coordinated effort, ACLU affiliates are representing dozens of people and families who are seeking justice for the harm they experienced at the hands of federal immigration agents.

We're also suing federal agents under the Maine Civil Rights Act for violating a Portland man's civil rights. Read more about this case here.

Enforcing Maine's ICE Out Laws

The ACLU of Maine uses public records requests to understand how Maine officials are cooperating with ICE, and to hold them accountable as the ICE Out of Maine laws take effect.

We’ll update this page as we begin tracking compliance. In the meantime, you can see the ways Maine law enforcement has collaborated with immigration agents documented in our public records investigations.