Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a targeted operation in Maine, focusing on Somali immigrants, as part of a broader Trump administration crackdown. Dubbed Operation Catch of the Day, the initiative began on Tuesday and has resulted in approximately 50 arrests so far, according to ICE officials.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that those arrested include individuals convicted of crimes such as aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child. However, criminal histories were provided for only four of the arrestees, with no details on the backgrounds of the others.
Patricia Hyde, deputy assistant director of ICE, told Fox News that the agency has compiled a list of 1,400 individuals in Maine it intends to target. ICE officers shown in TV footage were masked and had their faces blurred, while the faces of those being apprehended were not.
The operation follows similar efforts in Minneapolis, where ICE faced criticism after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer. The Somali American community in Minnesota has been a repeated target for Donald Trump, who recently announced the end of temporary protected status for Somalis living in the US.
Maine has a growing Somali community, particularly in Lewiston, where many asylum seekers from African nations have settled. The state, which is largely white and has an aging population, has increasingly relied on immigrant workers to address labor shortages.
The US attorney's office in Maine urged the public to protest peacefully, warning that anyone who assaults federal officers or destroys government property will be prosecuted. Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline called for calm and encouraged residents to support one another.
