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Paul LePage Criticizes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation of Family Member While Campaigning for Maine’s 2nd District
By Drooid · · How we work
LePage’s Claim of Wrongful Deportation
Former Maine governor Paul LePage, the Republican candidate for the state’s open 2nd Congressional District, told reporters that his son’s father-in-law is being deported despite holding a valid work permit. He declined to disclose the relative’s name, country of origin, or the specific immigration proceeding involved.
ICE Enforcement in Maine: Data and Context
Maine has seen a sharp increase in ICE activity this year. State-level data compiled by the Deportation Data Project show that about 69 % of people arrested by ICE in the first seven months of 2026 had no criminal conviction or charge, while only 12 % had been convicted of a crime. The same source reported 482 arrests in Maine so far this year, reflecting the broader federal surge tied to the Trump administration’s “Operation Catch of the Day.”
Official Responses
- Maine’s Fraternal Order of Police, which endorsed LePage, issued a statement that “restricting any type of information between law enforcement only places our officers and the community at risk.”
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not provided comment on the specific deportation case referenced by LePage.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
LePage’s remarks provide no details about the relative’s immigration status beyond the work permit, nor do they confirm whether a final removal order has been issued. The data on ICE arrests contradicts the notion that the agency is primarily targeting “gangs and criminals,” given that the majority of detainees lack criminal records. This discrepancy highlights a gap between the agency’s stated priorities and its operational outcomes in Maine.
Ongoing Investigations and Legislative Context
Maine’s Attorney General’s Office continues an independent investigation into the July 13 shooting of ICE-targeted immigrant Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford. An update released August 17 affirmed the office’s “exclusive responsibility” to examine homicides and use-of-force incidents involving federal agents. Separately, a new state law limits the extent to which local police may share information with ICE, a provision LePage publicly opposed during his campaign events.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Would I go after everybody that’s here, that have work permits and have been here for decades? Probably not,” — Paul LePage, the former governor
- “That’s not right. He has a work permit. He should be allowed to stay,” — Paul LePage, the former governor
- “Restricting any type of information between law enforcement only places our officers and the community at risk,” — Maine Fraternal Order, of Police endorsed him
- “They have a job to do,” — Paul LePage, the former governor