AUGUSTA, Maine — Democrats in the Maine Legislature advanced a bill Monday that challenges President Donald Trump by limiting police and jails from cooperating with federal immigration officials in many circumstances.
The bill from Rep. Deqa Dhalac, D-South Portland, was watered down significantly before it was voted out of the Judiciary Committee in a 7-6 vote in which Rep. Dani O’Halloran, D-Brewer, voted with Republicans against the proposal. It now goes to the chambers for votes.
It will be the major test for Trump’s hardline immigration policies in the State House this year. Debates on how Maine police work with federal immigration agents have ramped up since Trump took office in January. The administration has faced numerous lawsuits over its efforts to detain and deport people in Maine and other states, including students protesting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, despite them having legal status or applying for asylum.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol also said agents in April made 113 arrests of people from 16 countries who were allegedly in the country illegally. That was the highest monthly total in 24 years, and it is in keeping with a national trend of increased arrests under Trump.
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Some of those arrests began with traffic stops initiated by Maine police, including one in February that led to the detention of a 17-year-old who recently reunited with his family in Lewiston after arriving in the U.S. years earlier as an unaccompanied minor. Certain Maine jails have long held people for immigration agents for no longer than 48 hours at a time.
Formal agreements between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local police departments have been a hot topic in Augusta and communities across the state. The Wells Police Department rescinded its partnership with the federal government after backlash from the liberal-leaning community.
Dhalac’s bill was sweeping when it was introduced, aiming to stop Maine police agencies from holding anyone in response to immigration hold requests unless they are suspected of criminal activity. State employees other than police would have been able to inquire about immigration status except to provide services to them.
The bill’s changes in the amendment came after various work sessions and feedback from officials such as Auburn Police Chief Jason Moen, who leads the Maine Chiefs of Police Association. Moen noted the earlier language could affect federal task forces, such as for drug enforcement, that are not primarily used for immigration enforcement.
A new version of the bill responds to that criticism by allowing an exception for non-immigration police activity and removes the language about public employees. It still says police cannot hold someone solely based on an immigration hold request from a federal agency.
The Judiciary Committee held off last week on taking action on a separate proposal from Rep. Ambureen Rana, D-Bangor, that would ban local and state police from contracting with ICE, instead pushing additional work on that measure to next year.
Rep. Rachel Henderson, R-Rumford, criticized Dhalac’s proposal as making Maine a “sanctuary state,” while O’Halloran followed Republicans in citing a rushed process after the amendment was released on Monday. Democrats brushed those arguments aside.
“I just have to stress that every single change in this amendment was something that was directly discussed,” Rep. Adam Lee, D-Auburn, said.