ICE Launches 'Catch of the Day' in Maine as Gov. Mills Demands Answers
DHS says the operation targets about 1,400 people and made more than 100 arrests in the first three days, officials said.
Overview
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched "Catch of the Day" in Maine, and DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said more than 100 arrests were made in the first three days of the operation.
Gov. Janet Mills demanded warrants and real-time arrest data, saying "If they have warrants, show the warrants," as schools and businesses report disruptions and growing fear among immigrant communities.
ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde said the agency is targeting about 1,400 people in Maine, a claim contested by state and local officials who say some detainees lack criminal records, officials said.
Portland Public Schools reported its Thursday absence rate was 11 percentage points higher than the district's mid-January average and said some schools saw increases exceeding 20 percentage points.
Community groups have set up hotlines and planned legal aid while Maine's U.S. attorney urged protests to remain peaceful and warned interference with federal agents could prompt prosecution.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the operation skeptically, emphasizing lack of transparency and community fear. Editorial choices prioritize state and local critics—Gov. Mills, Sheriff Joyce—and immigrant testimony while federal responses are limited. Direct quotes (Mills, Joyce, Vaca) are source content, but their selection and placement create an alarmed, questioning narrative.