News

Portland Will Definitely Not Assist ICE With Immigrant Arrests

Portland Will Definitely Not Assist ICE With Immigrant Arrests

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


U.S. Border Patrol recently arrested a man in Portland suspected of being a member of the designated terrorist group MS-13.

But Portland Mayor Mark Dion says the city police department did not assist in tracking down the immigrant suspect and definitely will not in the future.

He says it’s a matter of keeping the trust of residents.

“We don’t engage in joint efforts,” said Dion. “They do their work. We do our work. We’re here to preserve public safety, and in order to do that, people have to trust us and feel safe with us, so we don’t involve ourselves.”

Portland also has a city ordinance prohibiting the use of municipal resources to enforce federal immigration laws.

Further, Mayor Dion says he personally finds the targeting of city residents troubling.

“It’s unsettling, because a lot of people are doing their very best to make a life here, and the threat that they could be intercepted by a federal agent, I worry about that,” Dion said. ” I don’t think the government’s necessarily approaching this with its best foot forward, for sure.”

Dion did clarify that Portland Police would assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents if they’re personal safety is in question. ” Sure, if federal agents are subjected to life threatening responses and the public is at general risk, we’ll react, of course, not going to stand off,” said Dion.

U.S. Border Patrol arrested a 27-year-old El Salvadoran man in Portland on April 15 under suspected gang affiliation to MS-13. The El Salvadoran man is being detained pending his removal proceedings.

Latest Headlines

1 day ago in Local

Otisfield man charged with making bomb threat toward elementary school

A man from Otisfield is accused of making a bomb threat directed at a local elementary school.

1 day ago in Local

Central Maine Power’s rate change request met with criticism from public advocate

Central Maine Power is again requesting a rate change after its previous request was turned down by regulators.

2 days ago in Local

Waldoboro Police Looking for Missing Man

Officers first announced the man was missing last Friday.

2 days ago in Local

New Scam Targets Mainers With QR Code for Payments

The message included a QR code with payment instructions and a list of violations.

2 days ago in Local

Bates College Lifts Shelter-In-Place as Lewiston Police Search for Armed Man

Students at Bates College in Lewiston were told to shelter-in-place Thursday afternoon due to reports of a man with a gun.