On Tuesday, March 17, the Lewiston City Council passed an ordinance limiting the city’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement. It will prevent city staff from participating in federal abuses of power and preserve local resources for local priorities – not the president’s mass deportation agenda.
The measure passed in a 5-2 vote, and goes further than LD 1971, a new state law that will take effect this summer. The ordinance will extend LD 1971’s restrictions beyond law enforcement to limit how all city staff interact with federal immigration officials – not just law enforcement. The ordinance states that “employees and resources cannot be used to assist, cooperate with, or facilitate any federal agency in any immigration enforcement operation, except where legally required to do so by state or federal law or court order."
The ordinance is almost identical to one passed by Rockland in December of 2025, which was written by the ACLU of Maine. Both measures follow nearly a year of increased scrutiny of Maine's engagement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies.
Last spring, the Town of Wells was the only municipality with an agreement to cooperate and act on behalf of ICE. Winthrop and Monmouth were pursuing a joint agreement with the agency at that time. Following strong public pushback, Wells ended its agreement, and Winthrop and Monmouth withdrew their application.
Maine’s elected leaders should do all they can to protect their communities from a federal government that shows alarming disregard for constitutional rights. We are thrilled that Lewiston has joined Rockland in taking this decisive action.
Measures like those passed by Lewiston and Rockland keep local resources focused on local priorities. They also ensure Maine towns and cities aren’t complicit in federal abuses of power, and improve public safety by building trust between local law enforcement and their communities.
Public opinion in Maine reflects skepticism and discomfort surrounding ICE’s presence in the state. In an October 2025 poll, a majority of Mainers said they disapproved of the way ICE is doing its job, with more voters in both congressional districts disapproving of ICE than approving.
The poll was published before the January ICE surge known as “Operation Catch of the Day,” which terrorized communities with unlawful actions that led to widespread declines in school and work attendance, sustained protests, and over 200 arrests. A February poll from the University of New Hampshire shows a majority of Mainers support more restrictions on ICE and believe the agency is making the country less safe.
Take Action to Pass this Ordinance in Your Town
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