The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine says more immigrants are being detained in Maine. But the group is seeking more information on who is being held, where they’re being held and for how long.
As of this week, the group said Cumberland County Jail in Portland was holding 80 people for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and that Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset has been holding up to 25 people.
ACLU of Maine staff attorney Anahita Sotoohi said she’s still waiting on public records requests from numerous law enforcement agencies.
“I think the main takeaway is that what exactly is happening with immigration detention in Maine is still really opaque,” she said. “What our requests are really aiming to get at is that it’s really basically impossible for any of us to hold the government accountable if we don’t know what it’s doing.”
She said part of the challenge is that ICE and Border Patrol often move people between detention facilities, making it harder for people in custody to maintain access to legal counsel.
She said the ACLU is also seeking more information on the exact language of an agreement between ICE and the Wells Police Department that gives the department authority to enforce federal immigration law.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
