U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a sweeping enforcement initiative in Maine that federal officials say is designed to target noncitizens with serious criminal convictions who are living in the United States illegally. The operation, dubbed “Operation Catch of the Day,” represents one of the most significant expansions of immigration enforcement activity in the state in recent years and reflects a broader shift in federal priorities under the Trump administration. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the effort is focused on individuals with prior convictions for violent crimes and other serious offenses, rather than on those whose only violation is related to immigration status. ICE officials say the operation began this week and is being carried out simultaneously in several Maine cities, including Portland and Lewiston, with additional activity expected in surrounding communities. Federal authorities characterize the initiative as a public safety measure aimed at removing individuals they describe as posing a heightened risk to local residents, while critics argue it risks sowing fear in immigrant communities and undermining trust between residents and government institutions.
The launch of Operation Catch of the Day follows months of tension between federal immigration authorities and state and local officials in Maine over the scope and role of immigration enforcement. Maine, like several other states and municipalities across the country, has adopted policies that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies, particularly in cases not involving serious crimes. DHS officials have repeatedly criticized these policies, often labeling such jurisdictions as “sanctuaries” for undocumented immigrants. In announcing the operation, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused state leadership of prioritizing the protection of undocumented immigrants with criminal histories over the safety of law-abiding citizens. In comments to Fox News, McLaughlin said the administration had decided to act directly in Maine because of what she described as resistance from state and local leaders. She emphasized that the operation was intended to demonstrate a renewed commitment to interior immigration enforcement and to signal that the federal government would not be deterred by local opposition when pursuing individuals with serious criminal records.
Federal officials say the operation is extensive in scope. According to ICE, agents have identified approximately 1,400 individuals across Maine who are considered enforcement priorities due to their criminal histories and immigration status. On the first day of operations alone, more than 50 people were taken into custody. ICE stated that those arrested included individuals convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, child endangerment, drug offenses, and other felonies. McLaughlin said that early arrests underscored the administration’s claim that the operation is focused on what officials repeatedly describe as the “worst of the worst.” She added that under President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the agency would no longer tolerate what it views as years of lax enforcement that allowed criminal offenders to remain in the country. ICE officials noted that those taken into custody are being processed through the immigration court system and may face removal proceedings, depending on the outcome of their cases and any legal relief for which they may be eligible.
Several specific cases highlighted by federal authorities have been used to illustrate the administration’s rationale for the operation. According to information cited by Fox News, ICE agents arrested Dominic Ali, a noncitizen from Sudan with convictions that include false imprisonment, aggravated assault, assault, obstructing justice, and violation of a protective order. Authorities also reported the arrest of Ambessa Berhe, a noncitizen from Ethiopia convicted of aggravated assault and cocaine possession. Another individual named by officials was Elmara Correia, a noncitizen from Angola who had previously been arrested on charges related to endangering the welfare of a child. ICE officials argue that these examples demonstrate why federal intervention is necessary, particularly in jurisdictions that limit cooperation with immigration authorities. They say the presence of such individuals in local communities represents a failure of enforcement that the federal government is now attempting to correct through targeted operations.
Reaction to the increased federal presence has been sharply divided among state and local leaders, as well as among residents and advocacy groups. Governor Janet Mills and several municipal officials have urged calm, emphasizing that federal immigration enforcement actions are carried out independently of state and local governments. They have also stressed that local law enforcement agencies are not participating in the operation. At the same time, immigrant advocacy organizations have mobilized quickly, establishing hotlines, dispatching legal observers, and offering legal assistance to individuals who may be detained. These groups warn that even operations nominally focused on individuals with serious criminal convictions can have a chilling effect on immigrant communities more broadly, discouraging people from reporting crimes, seeking medical care, or engaging with public institutions. Portland Mayor Mark Dion publicly opposed the deployment of ICE agents in his city, stating that there was no evidence of widespread criminal activity that would justify what he described as a disproportionate federal response. Dion said the announcement of the operation had already generated anxiety and fear among residents, regardless of whether they were directly targeted.
ICE officials maintain that Operation Catch of the Day is only one component of a broader national strategy to intensify immigration enforcement, particularly against individuals with criminal records. Similar operations have recently been carried out in states such as Minnesota and Ohio, and federal officials have indicated that additional actions may follow in other jurisdictions deemed uncooperative. The Maine operation also comes amid heightened political and legal scrutiny of immigration policy nationwide. In a related development, the U.S. Department of Justice has reportedly served grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and several local officials as part of an investigation into whether state and local leaders improperly obstructed federal immigration enforcement. Together, these developments underscore the increasingly confrontational relationship between the Trump administration and Democratic-led states and cities over immigration, a divide that is likely to continue shaping policy debates, legal battles, and community responses in the months ahead.
