Three new laws take effect in Maine on Wednesday that restrict how state and local agencies cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, marking a significant expansion of immigrant protections in a state where advocates documented more than 50 incidents last year of police handing people over to ICE.
The centerpiece "ICE Out of Policing" law prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies, including jails, from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement. Police can't contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Border Patrol for translation services when encountering non-English speakers. They generally may not share personal information for civil immigration purposes, though exceptions exist for criminal investigations and certain legally permitted exchanges.
Jails Face New Restrictions
Local and state agencies can no longer hold people for ICE based solely on civil immigration enforcement. Jails will be prohibited from notifying ICE about nonpublic inmate release dates or honoring civil detainer requests, with exceptions for serious crimes, outstanding warrants, final removal orders and certain public-safety concerns.
Sue Roche, executive director for the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, told reporters Tuesday that "the vast majority of people who have been handed over to ICE or Border Patrol by Maine's law enforcement were people in lawful immigration processes who had no criminal record." She said her organization documented more than 50 such incidents last year that led to arrests.
Schools, Libraries, Healthcare Facilities Protected
A second law taking effect Wednesday generally prohibits employees at public schools, state colleges, public libraries, healthcare facilities and child-care facilities from voluntarily allowing immigration officers into nonpublic areas or granting access to protected records without a judicial warrant or other applicable legal authority.
A third measure restricts landlords from disclosing tenants' personal information without consent, including immigration status details, while preserving exceptions for warrants, subpoenas, emergencies and certain legitimate housing or legal purposes.
Governor Mills didn't sign the policing measure, which became law without her signature 7 months ago in January. She signed the schools, libraries and healthcare measure 3 months ago in April, while the tenant-privacy measure became law without her signature later that month.
Early Adoption and Resistance
Several Maine cities already adopted their own restrictions before the statewide laws. Portland, Lewiston, Waterville and Rockland passed local ordinances limiting police communication with ICE and Border Patrol. The Maine State Police announced 7 months ago in December 2025 that it would begin following the policing restrictions before the law took effect.
Some agencies continued contacting immigration officials despite the coming changes. Scott Stewart, president of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, warned that limiting cooperation could expose Maine agencies to federal funding cuts or increased enforcement.
Immigrant rights advocates said the new laws will improve community trust in Maine officials to ensure public safety, regardless of immigration status. The ACLU of Maine, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition and civil legal aid provider Maine Equal Justice held a news conference Tuesday about the new laws targeting ICE operations, according to the Portland Press Herald.
Local governments across the country have sought to pass similar legislation as communities grapple with balancing public safety and immigrant protection.
Why This Matters:
These laws address a documented pattern where people in lawful immigration processes with no criminal record were handed over to federal authorities by local police. When law enforcement agencies cooperate with civil immigration enforcement, immigrant communities may avoid reporting crimes, accessing healthcare, or sending children to school out of fear. The measures create a clearer boundary between local public safety functions and federal immigration enforcement, potentially allowing immigrants to interact with schools, libraries, healthcare facilities and police without risking detention for civil immigration matters. The restrictions also raise questions about federal-state cooperation and whether communities will face consequences for limiting assistance to federal agencies. With more than 50 documented incidents last year in Maine alone, the laws reflect growing tension between states seeking to build trust with immigrant residents and federal enforcement priorities.