AUGUSTA – Today, the Maine House of Representatives advanced legislation sponsored by Rep. Ellie Sato, D-Gorham, that will help uphold due process in Maine by taking steps to protect residents from unchecked immigration enforcement. The vote was 77-70.
As amended, LD 2106 would provide clarity for employees at public schools, state health facilities and state libraries on what to do if, and when, they encounter Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It requires immigration officers to obtain a warrant signed by a judge in order to conduct enforcement at places where everyone should feel safe.
This upholds the standard previously utilized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for accessing non-public documents and private locations in community spaces that had been in effect at DHS since 2011 — spanning multiple federal administrations led by both Republicans and Democrats.
“The federal government’s reckless immigration enforcement in Maine has created terror in our communities that has lasted long after ‘Operation Catch of the Day’ ended,” said Sato. “The protections laid out in this bill are not new – they were federal policy for years because of the overwhelming public health and safety consequences of conducting enforcement at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals. This bill is about recognizing the humanity in one another and protecting the rights and safety of all Maine residents.”
Additionally, the bill directs the Attorney General to provide clear guidelines for sensitive locations like daycares and places of worship on how to exercise Fourth Amendment rights to protect workers and patrons.
LD 2106 faces further votes in the House and Senate in the coming days.
Rep. Ellie Sato, D-Gorham, is serving her first term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee (Sato) | 305-965-2744