Story perspectives

Maine County Ends ICE Contract, Faces $2 Million Loss

4/24/2026

Center

Mills Bans ICE

Governor Janet Mills signed LD 2058 on April 13, 2026, permitting Maine jails to refuse civil immigration detainees.
Cumberland County commissioners voted 3-1 on Tuesday to end the jail’s ICE contract, removing ICE detainees.
Commissioner Steve Gorden, dissenting vote, said the loss would burden residents, noting attendance was credited.
Sheriff Kevin Joyce warned loss could cut $150 per inmate daily, costing up to $2 million.

Left

Commissioners Approve ICE

Activists and labor groups rallied, saying the agreement tackles losses from ICE contracts costing $180 per detainee versus $88 reimbursement.
County commissioners approved a new Basic Ordering Agreement cutting ICE detention to 48 hours while maintaining a limited federal partnership.
Commissioner Steve Gorden, the dissenting vote, warned the change would burden low-income residents with costs.
Board cited due-process concerns, noting court-ordered bond hearings for long-detained immigrant Suraj Vasal.

History

Historical Context

San Francisco’s sanctuary ordinance limited local cooperation with ICE, reflecting a broader move by cities to resist federal detention partnerships. The approach grew after the Trump administration’s 2017 executive order—later struck down—and coincides with the expansion of 287(g) agreements to 649 by June 2025, shaping immigration-enforcement practices and influencing how local law enforcement collaborates with federal agents.

1 of 3

Mills Bans ICE

Governor Janet Mills signed LD 2058 on April 13, 2026, permitting Maine jails to refuse civil immigration detainees.
Cumberland County commissioners voted 3-1 on Tuesday to end the jail’s ICE contract, removing ICE detainees.
Commissioner Steve Gorden, dissenting vote, said the loss would burden residents, noting attendance was credited.
Sheriff Kevin Joyce warned loss could cut $150 per inmate daily, costing up to $2 million.

1 / 3