The Bangor City Council on Wednesday voted down a resolve that would have clarified the procedure the city would follow if it ever considered entering into an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Community members filled the council chambers Wednesday night to weigh in on the statement, including many who expressed frustration when councilors voted 5-3 against issuing the statement.
The resolve, proposed by the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights, would have stated in writing that any potential agreement with outside law enforcement agencies would have to go through official channels, including discussion with the city manager, in City Council committee meetings, and give residents the chance to weigh in.
The draft resolve, titled “Reaffirming Safety, Trust, and Community Priorities in Local Law Enforcement Policies,” also stated that Bangor “is committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and trust of all its residents and visitors, regardless of immigration status” and that the city will emphasize civil rights in any decisions related to federal law enforcement.
It was seen as a compromise after councilors shut down an earlier draft that would have explicitly barred Bangor police from entering any official agreements with ICE.
Bangor’s City Council has been relatively quiet on the issue as federal immigration authorities continue to operate in Maine, including through a raid on Bangor’s Kobe restaurant this summer where they arrested three people.
Councilor Joe Leonard called the failed resolve “the absolute minimum,” saying, “We need to tell our citizens that we have their backs. We need to tell our citizens that we’re going to stand by them.”
Earlier drafts of the resolve aimed to explicitly prevent the Bangor Police Department from entering a 287(g) agreement, which essentially deputizes local police to act as immigration enforcement officers, Police Chief Mark Hathaway said at a City Council workshop Wednesday.
Bangor’s police have not asked to enter an official agreement with ICE, Hathaway said, adding that if that were to change, he would seek approval from the city.
“It’s just that simple for us. We’re not looking to be part of this program,” he said.
Only one town in Maine, Wells, has agreed to contract with federal immigration authorities, although that agreement was paused in May because of pending state legislation.
Portland’s City Council unanimously passed a resolution last month condemning ICE’s “nontransparent” practices, as reported in the Portland Press Herald.
Members of the advisory committee adjusted the draft after councilors expressed concerns about the legality of binding a future council to a decision like this. Some also worried that taking a stance against ICE could put a target on the city’s back and risk losing federal funding.
Still, most councilors weren’t convinced by the diluted version of the proposal. Councilors Carolyn Fish, Rick Fournier, Susan Hawes, Wayne Mallar and Dan Tremble voted against it, while Councilors Joe Leonard, Susan Deane and Michael Beck voted in favor.
“I don’t want to govern by resolve,” Hawes said in the workshop.
Tremble said he voted no because “With or without this resolve, the city’s not going to enter in a 287(g) agreement” and “with or without this resolve, the actions of ICE are not going to change.”
Fish and Mallar argued that the statement was unnecessary, pointing to a February resolve proclaiming Bangor as a welcoming community for all. Mallar questioned why he hadn’t heard directly from community members affected by ICE raids.
A dozen people spoke during public comment in support of the statement, including some who said they were frustrated that it wasn’t stronger.
“I’m disappointed that you all have chosen to water down this resolve,” resident Clare Mundell said. “I ask that you pass it nonetheless, because I think it’s important for us to send a strong message to our immigrant neighbors that we care and that we have a transparent process.”
Mundell also noted that some Bangor residents may be afraid to speak out about their experiences with ICE, saying, “I’m here to speak because I’m able to do so without fear … In this political climate, if you don’t understand why you might not see [immigrants] speaking out about ICE, I think you’re being willfully ignorant, frankly.”
Many speakers drew attention to ICE’s aggressive tactics under President Donald Trump and its agents’ practice of working in plainclothes with unmarked vehicles, including Bangor High School teacher Rose Pompey. Another person speaking on Pompey’s behalf said she knew at least five students who have had family members detained by ICE.
Some attendees heckled the councilors after the final vote, calling them cowards.
Five people spoke against the resolve, including two City Council candidates — Justin Cartier and Richard Ward — and two people on Zoom who were cut off after disrupting the meeting with hateful language. Both likely used fake names and did not identify themselves as Bangor residents.
Another community member, Hilari Simmons, called the measure “unnecessary, overly political, and potentially counterproductive,” saying that it was unfair to the city’s police department and “could limit essential communications between local law enforcement and federal partners.” Simmons is Mallar’s daughter.