Maine Implements Laws Restricting Cooperation With Federal Immigration Agents

The Government of Maine implemented three laws on July 29, 2026, that severely restrict cooperation between state and local authorities and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The measures, which became law after Governor Janet Mills neither signed nor vetoed them, follow the July 13 killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero by an ICE agent in Biddeford.

The "ICE Out of Policing" law prohibits local law enforcement and jails from sharing inmate release dates, providing translation services for federal agents, or holding individuals for civil immigration detention. A second law empowers staff at state libraries, public schools, and healthcare facilities to deny ICE searches without a judicial warrant. The third measure, "ICE Out of Our Homes," prevents landlords from sharing sensitive tenant information with federal authorities absent a warrant.

Advocates, including the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, argue the laws are necessary to protect public safety and restore trust in public institutions. Conversely, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Maine Chiefs of Police Association warned the restrictions could undermine safety and lead to federal funding cuts. The Maine State Police noted it had already been adhering to the limits on cooperation with federal immigration officers.