Feds say ICE has arrested 100 people in Maine

Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested 100 people in Maine since agents launched a major operation in the state on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“The brave men and women of ICE have already arrested more than 100 illegal aliens in Maine since the launch of Operation Catch of the Day three days ago. Some of the arrests of the worst of the worst from the first day of operations include criminal illegal aliens charged and convicted of horrific crimes including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

“Operation Catch of the Day,” as the federal government is calling the Maine deployment, started on Tuesday. Agents have primarily been spotted in Portland, Westbrook and Lewiston.

In Thursday’s statement, McLaughlin highlighted four people ICE has arrested along with their criminal convictions, including Dominic Ali of Sudan who has prior assault convictions; Ambessa Berhe, of Ethiopia, who was convicted for aggravated assault and cocaine possession; Elmara Correia, of Angola, who was “previously arrested for endangering the welfare of a child”; and Dany Lopez-Cortez, of Guatemala, who was “convicted for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol,” according to ICE.

Reporting by the BDN and other news organizations in Maine suggests that ICE has also detained people without criminal records or immigration infractions, including a Cumberland County corrections recruit, who Sheriff Kevin Joyce said on Thursday had passed background checks with a “squeaky clean” record.

ICE also arrested a civil engineer from Colombia employed in Portland who earned a master’s degree from the University of Maine and was in the country on a work visa, according to his colleagues, and a Portland mom with a pending asylum claim.

As of Tuesday night, ICE reported it had arrested 50 people in Maine.

Patricia Hyde, deputy assistant director at ICE, previously said the agency is targeting approximately 1,400 people in Maine as part of the operation and that it won’t stop until it arrests everyone on the list, which includes people with serious criminal records.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed Thursday’s statement. It came from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.