PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Gov. Janet Mills on Thursday challenged federal immigration officials to provide arrest warrants, real-time arrest numbers and basic information about who is being detained in a sweeping enforcement operation in Maine, saying the state has been left largely in the dark as fear spreads through immigrant communities.
“If they have warrants, show the warrants. In America, we don’t believe in secret arrests or secret police,” Mills said at a news conference, adding state officials do not know where detainees are being held.
The Democratic governor also said that President Donald Trump’s office has not returned her phone calls regarding the operation begun this week. Federal officials have said about 50 arrests were made the first day and that roughly 1,400 people are targets of the operation in the mostly rural state of 1.4 million residents, 4 percent of whom are foreign-born and fewer here illegally.
It comes as confrontations continue between demonstrators in Minnesota with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents. ICE is under scrutiny in that state following an agent’s fatal shooting of Renee Good.
The enforcement activity has sparked anxiety in Maine’s largest cities, including Portland and Lewiston, which are home to sizable immigrant and refugee populations, particularly from African nations. Community leaders say some families are staying indoors, avoiding work and keeping children home from school out of fear of arrest.
Mills said the lack of information has made it difficult for state officials to assess the scope or justification for the operation.
“I’d be curious to know more about their so-called target,” she said. “Why Maine? Why now? What were the orders that came from above? Who’s giving the orders? We’ve reached out, we’ve asked questions. We have no answers.”
Assistant House Republican Leader Katrina Smith and other Maine Republicans called on Mills and fellow Democrats to tone down their rhetoric around the enforcement operation. Smith said Republicans want to meet with the governor to discuss support for law enforcement, the protection of peaceful protest and “how we ensure that no one is harmed because rhetoric was allowed to spiral out of control.”
Mills said she would be “shocked” if federal agents could substantiate claims that such a large number of people in Maine have criminal charges against them.
“Mostly we’re hearing reports of people who have not been engaged in criminal activity,” she said. “If someone has evidence of criminal activity, we want to hear about it. But that’s not what we’re hearing about.”
Mills said school districts have gone “on alert,” particularly in Portland and Lewiston, and that some stud`ents have not been attending classes. She also said businesses that rely heavily on immigrant labor have reported disruptions.
“People are being torn from their families and from young children, people who are part of the workforce here in Maine — the workforce we desperately need and desperately value,” Mills said.
The enforcement surge has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats in Maine, who say the operation is unnecessarily disruptive in a state with a relatively small undocumented population.
Portland Public Schools said earlier this week that two schools briefly went into a “lockout” to prevent anyone from entering during the school day amid concerns about nearby enforcement activity, though officials said no threat was ultimately found and the lockouts were lifted within minutes.
Mills emphasized that people are legally allowed to record law enforcement activity in public, as long as they do not interfere with officers.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for updated arrest numbers, warrant information or details about where detainees are being held. DHS previously said the operation targets what it described as “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” citing arrests involving convictions for aggravated assault, false imprisonment and child endangerment.
Maine’s top federal prosecutor has urged any demonstrations to remain peaceful and warned that people who interfere with federal agents could face prosecution. Mills said the state respects the law but questions the need for what she described as a heavy-handed approach.
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Willingham reported from Boston.
