U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has launched a large-scale enforcement operation in Maine aimed at arresting noncitizens with serious criminal convictions, marking the latest expansion of federal immigration activity under the Trump administration.
The initiative, known as “Operation Catch of the Day,” began this week in multiple cities across the state, including Portland and Lewiston. Federal officials said the operation focuses on identifying and apprehending individuals who are in the country illegally and have prior convictions for violent crimes and other offenses.
It comes after disagreements with state officials over immigration enforcement, and as more jurisdictions known as “sanctuaries” for illegal aliens are being targeted.
“Governor Mills and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Maine have made it abundantly clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News. “We have launched Operation Catch of the Day to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in the state.
“On the first day of operations, we arrested illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child,” she added. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are no longer allowing criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American citizens.”
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According to ICE officials, agents have identified approximately 1,400 targets statewide. On the first day of operations, more than 50 individuals were taken into custody. Those arrested included individuals convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, child endangerment, and other felony offenses.
DHS officials said the operation is part of a broader national effort to prioritize enforcement against what they describe as the “worst of the worst” offenders, expanding similar operations previously conducted in states such as Minnesota and Ohio. The administration has emphasized renewed interior enforcement following several years in which federal officials said cooperation with local jurisdictions declined.
“Those taken into custody include Dominic Ali, a criminal illegal alien from Sudan convicted of false imprisonment, aggravated assault, assault, obstructing justice and violation of a protective order,” Fox noted. “ICE also arrested Ambessa Berhe, a criminal illegal alien from Ethiopia convicted of aggravated assault and cocaine possession.
“Elmara Correia, a criminal illegal alien from Angola who was previously arrested for endangering the welfare of a child, was also taken into custody,” the outlet added.
The increased federal presence has drawn mixed reactions from state and local leaders. Some officials have raised concerns about community trust and the impact on immigrant populations, while others have said the focus on individuals with serious criminal histories is appropriate and necessary for public safety.
Governor Mills and several municipal leaders urged residents to remain calm as the operation continues, noting that federal immigration enforcement is conducted independently of state and local authorities. Advocacy groups have also mobilized to monitor arrests and provide legal assistance.
Portland, Maine, Mayor Mark Dion last week released a statement opposing the deployment of federal ICE agents in the city.
“Our community is anxious and fearful regarding the understanding that ICE is planning to send agents to Portland and Lewiston next week,” Dion said. “There is no evidence of unchecked criminal activity in our community requiring a disproportionate presence of federal agents. In that view, Portland rejects the need for the deployment of ICE agents into our neighborhoods.”
ICE officials said the operation is expected to continue for several days and could result in hundreds of arrests. The agency added that individuals taken into custody will be processed through the immigration court system and, where appropriate, placed into removal proceedings.
The Maine operation comes amid an intensified national immigration enforcement campaign, as the administration seeks to increase deportations, expand cooperation with federal agencies, and target criminal networks operating across state lines.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has served grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and several local Democratic officials as part of a federal investigation into whether they improperly obstructed federal immigration enforcement efforts, multiple news outlets report.