Democratic Rep. Jared Golden says he backs federal immigration enforcement actions underway in his home state, including an ICE operation that has swept through his hometown of Lewiston.
Golden voiced support for the effort, dubbed “Operation Catch of the Day,” so long as it remains narrowly focused.
“So long as this remains a targeted law enforcement operation focused on individuals who have engaged in criminal activities then I believe it legitimately serves the public interest,” Golden said in a statement emailed Wednesday to Maine Public.
His position puts him at odds with local leadership in Lewiston, where the crackdown has drawn sharp criticism.
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement of heavy-handed tactics.
“Lewiston stands for the dignity of all the people who call Maine home. We will never stop caring for our neighbors,” Sheline said in a statement Wednesday, adding that ICE was showing “a complete lack of humanity and concern for basic human welfare.”
The split comes as ICE confirms operations are now active across Maine. The agency told Fox News on Tuesday that roughly 50 people had been arrested so far, with a total of about 1,400 immigrants targeted statewide as part of the enforcement effort.
The debate over enforcement has intensified following a deadly confrontation tied to anti-ICE activism in Minnesota. Authorities identified the man shot and killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in south Minneapolis as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, a local resident. DHS said agents were carrying out a targeted operation to arrest an illegal alien wanted for violent assault when Pretti intervened. Officials said a loaded handgun and extra magazine were recovered, and video shows agents shouting “gun” as they struggled with him. DHS said Pretti was reaching for his firearm and “violently resisted,” prompting an agent to fire in self-defense.
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