Maine's Senator Susan Collins announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ended its large-scale enforcement operation in the state. Collins had previously asked the Trump administration to reconsider its approach, which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later confirmed.
According to Collins, ICE will continue normal operations in Maine while she works on addressing other issues such as illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and transnational crime. The news comes two days after Collins called for an independent investigation into a fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota, which has led to widespread protests.
The end of the operation marks a significant shift in the Trump administration's approach to immigration enforcement in Maine, with some critics hailing it as a victory. However, Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat from Maine, expressed skepticism about the decision, stating that she had not received any information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about the operation despite repeated requests.
Pingree pointed out that the end of the surge operation does not mean a return to normal immigration enforcement in the state. She called the Trump administration's policies "radically different" and promised to continue fighting for more transparency regarding the operations, including information on who was detained, their immigration status, and where they are currently located.
The controversy surrounding ICE's operations in Maine began with the announcement of "Operation Catch of the Day" on January 21. The operation has been marred by incidents such as the arrest of a corrections officer recruit, which sparked criticism from local authorities. In response, DHS pulled all detainees out of the state's largest jail.
The end of the ICE operation coincided with another large enforcement operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has led to widespread protests and two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents. Collins' decision to end the operation in Maine appears to be an attempt to diffuse tensions and promote a more collaborative approach to addressing immigration issues in the state.
According to Collins, ICE will continue normal operations in Maine while she works on addressing other issues such as illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and transnational crime. The news comes two days after Collins called for an independent investigation into a fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota, which has led to widespread protests.
The end of the operation marks a significant shift in the Trump administration's approach to immigration enforcement in Maine, with some critics hailing it as a victory. However, Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat from Maine, expressed skepticism about the decision, stating that she had not received any information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about the operation despite repeated requests.
Pingree pointed out that the end of the surge operation does not mean a return to normal immigration enforcement in the state. She called the Trump administration's policies "radically different" and promised to continue fighting for more transparency regarding the operations, including information on who was detained, their immigration status, and where they are currently located.
The controversy surrounding ICE's operations in Maine began with the announcement of "Operation Catch of the Day" on January 21. The operation has been marred by incidents such as the arrest of a corrections officer recruit, which sparked criticism from local authorities. In response, DHS pulled all detainees out of the state's largest jail.
The end of the ICE operation coincided with another large enforcement operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has led to widespread protests and two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents. Collins' decision to end the operation in Maine appears to be an attempt to diffuse tensions and promote a more collaborative approach to addressing immigration issues in the state.
think it's a good move, ICE had been causing a lot of headaches for local authorities and civilians alike 
plus with all the recent probs in minneapolis, i guess collins is trying to calm things down over here 
also gotta give props to rep chellie pingree for sticking up for transparency and accountability regarding immigration enforcement 
Collins might've won some points with her decision but Pingree's right to be skeptical - there's gotta be more transparency here. And what about all the people who got detained during "Operation Catch of the Day" without even knowing what was going on? It's like they just vanished. I mean, maybe this is a good start, but we can't just forget about accountability. 
! I mean, no large-scale enforcement op means less stress for our community, right? And it's cool that Sen Collins is keeping her word about working on other issues too. Plus, Rep Pingree's still all about transparency - that's important to me! Maybe this end of the operation will lead to more effective solutions instead of just sweeping things under the rug 
. It's all about optics, if you ask me. They don't want to be the face of another scandal and so they're just gonna scale it back a bit. But let's not forget, this is still ICE we're talking about - the worst of the worst when it comes to immigration enforcement 
. I'm not buying that Collins has really changed her tune or that Rep Pingree isn't still being played for a fool 
. We need transparency and real solutions, not just PR spin 
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ICE is melting away! 
[GIF of a person running away from a police car, with a "phew" expression on their face] 
But seriously, Rep Pingree is still gonna keep pushing for transparency and accountability, that's a must 
. This decision might be seen as a win by some, but we shouldn't assume it means the immigration enforcement in Maine is going to go back to normal anytime soon 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out, but one thing is for sure: change ain't always easy, and it takes time 
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My kid's friend has a parent who is undocumented and is scared of being deported 
Collins' decision seems like a good step towards de-escalating tensions, but we need more transparency and communication from the government about what's happening with immigration enforcement in our state 