PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said Thursday that immigration officials have ceased their "enhanced operations” in the state, the site of an enforcement surge and more than 100 arrests since last week.
Collins, a Republican, made the announcement after saying she had several direct communications with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
“There are currently no ongoing or planned large-scale ICE operations here,” Collins
said in a statement. “I have been urging Secretary Noem and others in the Administration to get ICE to reconsider its approach to immigration enforcement in the state."
The announcement came after President Donald Trump seemed to signal a willingness to ease tensions in Minneapolis after a second deadly shooting by federal immigration agents.
Collins said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol officials “will continue their normal operations that have been ongoing here for many years.”
Her announcement came more than a week after immigration officers began an operation dubbed “Catch of the Day” by ICE. Federal officials said about 50 arrests were made the first day and that roughly 1,400 people were operational targets in the mostly rural state of 1.4 million residents, 4% of whom are foreign-born.
By late last week, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said some of the more than 100 arrests were of people “convicted of horrific crimes including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child."
The veteran senator is facing reelection this year and could face Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who announced her candidacy in October.
Mills has challenged immigration officials to provide judicial warrants, real-time arrest numbers and basic information about who is being detained in Maine. She also called on Collins to act after the House’s GOP majority defeated efforts by Democrats to curtail ICE funding.
Mills' office did not immediately respond to an Associated Press email seeking comment from the governor on Collins' announcement.
Collins has avoided criticizing ICE tactics, other than to say that people who are in the country legally should not be the target of ICE investigations. She also said policies she has advocated for, including providing body cameras and de-escalation training for ICE personnel, could help improve accountability and trust.
