A South Portland man is suing Immigration and Customs Enforcement for allegedly violating his Constitutional rights during the January surge.
Robert Peck, a U.S. citizen, was following ICE vehicles in Scarborough when two masked agents stopped him and threatened to arrest him, according to court records filed in federal district court in Maine.
Peck’s lawyer, David Webbert, said it’s part of a pattern of threats against lawful ICE observers across the country.
“They’re using it to intimidate and criminalize protected First Amendment activity, and that is a hallmark of an authoritarian police state,” Webbert said.
The suit seeks monetary damages under the Maine Civil Rights Act, with the exact amount to be determined by a jury.
“It’s urgent to set a precedent, and for other ICE agents to know that this is not legal,” Webbert said. “There’s going to be real accountability.”
It’s at least the third lawsuit filed in recent months challenging federal agents’ actions during the surge.
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a written statement Friday that “Anyone who obstructs federal law enforcement is committing a federal crime.”
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.