The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a new immigration enforcement action in the state of Maine, making it the latest focus of federal operations targeting undocumented migrants with criminal records.
On Wednesday, DHS confirmed the start of what it calls “Operation Catch of the Day,” a statewide initiative aimed at identifying and arresting what officials describe as “criminal illegal migrants.” According to a DHS spokesperson, the operation is being led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and focuses on individuals with serious criminal convictions.
Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin sharply criticized Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills, blaming what she referred to as “sanctuary politicians” for prompting the federal intervention. In a statement, McLaughlin said the operation is designed to target “the worst of the worst,” adding that arrests made on the first day included individuals convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child.
McLaughlin emphasized that under President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the administration will no longer tolerate what it calls threats to public safety posed by criminal undocumented migrants.
Federal officials have not clarified how long ICE agents will remain in Maine or whether additional personnel, including Customs and Border Protection officers currently deployed in other states, will be reassigned to the operation.
The enforcement action comes amid heightened political tensions. Governor Mills, who has clashed publicly with President Trump in the past year and is currently running for the U.S. Senate, said her administration had not been briefed in advance about the federal plans.
Earlier this week, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Andrew Benson appeared to signal that enforcement activity was imminent. In a statement, Benson stressed that while peaceful protest is protected, any violence, obstruction of federal officers, or destruction of government property would be prosecuted as federal crimes.
In a video message posted to social media on January 14, Governor Mills said she had directed the Maine State Police to coordinate with local law enforcement to prepare for potential federal operations. She also said her administration had been working with officials in Portland and Lewiston, Maine’s two largest cities, as well as with the state attorney general, to ensure a coordinated response.
Mills said her priority is protecting both public safety and civil rights. She criticized federal enforcement tactics she described as aggressive, saying Maine law enforcement officers are professionally trained, accountable, and do not conceal their identities or make arrests to meet quotas. She reaffirmed support for peaceful protest and warned federal authorities against actions she said could undermine civil liberties in the state.
“If the goal is provocation or the erosion of civil rights, those tactics are not welcome here,” Mills said.
Local leaders have also pushed back. Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline condemned ICE operations, accusing the agency of using intimidation tactics that he said harm communities and violate basic human dignity. In a statement, Sheline said Lewiston would continue to stand for the rights and welfare of all residents.
As federal enforcement continues, Maine now finds itself at the center of a growing national debate over immigration policy, public safety, and the balance between federal authority and state leadership.
Reporting by Kathy Moore.
