Story perspectives

ICE Detains 200 in Maine as LePage Urges Focus

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 12:40 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Former Governor Paul LePage urged ICE to focus on gang members and criminals.
LePage said his son’s father-in-law, a work-permit holder, faces deportation for political reasons.
ICE agent David Brouillette shot and killed 25-year-old Colombian resident Johan Duran Guerrero in July.
Operation Catch of the Day detained 200 people in Maine, with only 11 convictions.
January to July, 68% of ICE arrests in Maine involved people with no criminal record.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, dramatically expanded deportation authority and criminalized undocumented status. Congress allocated $1.5 billion to the newly created Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the law led to 1.2 million removals by 2000. Maine’s Operation Catch of the Day reflects that era, with ICE agent David Brouillette’s July shooting and Governor Paul LePage’s gang-member focus despite 68% arrests. The recurrence suggests that expansive enforcement policies risk civil backlash and may prompt legislative revisions to balance security with immigrant rights.

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Story summary

Former Governor Paul LePage urged ICE to focus on gang members and criminals.
LePage said his son’s father-in-law, a work-permit holder, faces deportation for political reasons.
ICE agent David Brouillette shot and killed 25-year-old Colombian resident Johan Duran Guerrero in July.
Operation Catch of the Day detained 200 people in Maine, with only 11 convictions.
January to July, 68% of ICE arrests in Maine involved people with no criminal record.

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