Tensions in the state of Maine have reached critical levels following the start of a massive operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), dubbed "Capture of the Day."

The state's governor, Janet Mills, spoke out in defense of the immigrant community, denouncing "police" tactics “Secret” and demanding transparency in the operations, “We don't believe in secret arrests.”

Governor Mills, who was attorney general for eight years, questioned the legality and ethics of the operations that are sowing panic in cities like Portland, Lewiston, and Westbrook.

“If they have warrants, show them. In the US, we don't believe in secret arrests or secret police,” Mills stated.

The governor emphasized that these actions not only affect individuals but strike at the core of society: “It's very damaging to a child's life, to a business, to a school, to a city, and it tends to generate a lot of fear and anxiety in families.”

They deny that the operations are only against criminals

Although ICE claims that the target is 1,400 people classified as “criminals,” local organizations and the governor herself have other data. According to collected testimonies, people with no criminal records, who are a vital part of the workforce, are being detained indiscriminately. Among the alarming cases reported by ILAP (Immigrant Legal Defense Project) are that of a single mother detained after dropping her child off at school, a worker arrested after finishing her night shift, and a father whose car window was smashed by ICE agents, even though there was a one-month-old baby inside. "What we are hearing is that people with no criminal records are being detained... that they are being separated from their families, that they are part of the workforce we need and value. It is disturbing," the governor stated. Sue Roche, ILAP Executive Director,She denounced the raids as not being selective, as the federal government claims, but rather based on racial discrimination. “ICE is doing everything possible to inflict maximum cruelty and chaos.” This situation has led to children missing school,as school districts are on alert due to student absences for fear of being arrested. Additionally, dozens of families remain confined to their homes, surviving thanks to volunteers who bring them food.