Statement from Senate President Mattie Daughtry on ICE Operations in Maine

AUGUSTA, ME — Today, following reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Senate President Mattie Daughtry released the following statement:

“It is unacceptable that Maine’s leaders are learning about ICE operations happening in our state in real time from FOX News, alongside the rest of the country. That is not how our government should function, it is not how due process works, and it is certainly not how Maine communities deserve to be treated.

The announcement of ICE’s so-called ‘Catch of the Day’ operation in Maine only deepens those concerns. Language that compares people to fish to be caught and hauled in is dehumanizing and dangerous. The rhetoric being used feels less like law enforcement and more like people are being hunted for sport. It turns enforcement into a violent spectacle designed to promote fear.

That approach is an insult to the dedicated Maine law enforcement professionals who put their lives on the line every day and do their jobs with integrity — without demeaning slogans or harmful taglines.

Maine is better than this. Our communities are built on care, dignity, and looking out for one another. I stand with our neighbors, our families, and the local organizations who are showing up with compassion and support in the face of fear.

My office and I will continue to assist constituents and their loved ones and we remain committed to working with the Governor’s office and Maine’s Federal delegation to ensure transparency, accountability, and the safety of our communities. We will continue pushing for policies rooted in humanity — because everyone deserves to feel safe in the place they call home.”

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