Maine Governor Janet Mills criticized federal immigration authorities Thursday for what she described as “secret arrests” that have left immigrant communities anxious and fearful. Mills said she has received no response from President Donald Trump’s office regarding the enforcement operation, dubbed Catch of the Day, which began earlier this week.
“If they have warrants, show the warrants. In America, we don’t believe in secret arrests or secret police,” Mills said at a news conference.
Federal officials reported about 50 arrests on the first day of the operation and said roughly 1,400 individuals are operational targets across Maine, a largely rural state of 1.4 million residents, about 4% of whom are foreign-born.
The comments followed concerns from Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce after one of his corrections officer recruits was arrested by ICE. Joyce said the arrest did not match prior assurances from federal officials that enforcement would focus on immigrants with serious criminal convictions.
“The book and the movie don’t add up,” Joyce said, describing the recruit as a law-abiding individual with verified work authorization, who had undergone criminal background checks, fingerprinting, and polygraph testing. Joyce also criticized the method of the arrest, which involved multiple ICE agents and left the recruit’s vehicle running on a city street.
Community Anxiety Grows
The enforcement operation has caused widespread fear in Maine’s largest cities, including Portland and Lewiston, which host sizable immigrant and refugee communities, particularly from African nations. School districts have reportedly gone on alert, with some students staying home, while local businesses reliant on immigrant labor are experiencing disruptions.
Cristian Vaca, a 28-year-old Ecuadorian living in Biddeford, said ICE agents threatened him during a home visit, despite his legal status. “I’m here legally. I came here in September 2023,” Vaca said, noting he has a U.S. Social Security number, a work permit, and pays income taxes. Video Vaca recorded shows an ICE agent telling him, “We’re going to come back for your whole family, okay?” while a child’s voice can be heard in the background.
Federal Authorities Defend Operation
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE have declined to provide updated arrest numbers or details on detainee locations. DHS has previously stated the operation targets individuals it considers “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” citing prior convictions for aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and child endangerment.
A small protest took place outside an ICE field office in Scarborough Thursday, with demonstrators calling for due process and transparency. Dave Cowie, a local resident, said, “People are being snatched off the street, taken to undisclosed locations. We’re being told we have to prove our citizenship — not everyone walks around with a passport in their pocket.”
Mills acknowledged the need to respect federal law but questioned the operation’s heavy-handed approach, particularly given the lack of publicly available information. Maine’s top federal prosecutor has urged demonstrations to remain peaceful and warned that interference with federal agents could result in prosecution.
