The Trump administration has reportedly begun a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Maine, targeting Somali illegals and the "worst of the worst."
The action follows a similar operation in Minnesota and is focused on individuals with criminal histories, officials told The New York Times on Wednesday.
ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde said in a televised interview that approximately 1,400 people are being targeted in the state.
The Department of Homeland Security declined the Times' request for comment on specific enforcement actions.
Maine has seen growth in its Somali population over the past two decades, particularly in Lewiston, as well as an influx of African asylum seekers during the Biden administration.
State officials claimed immigrants have helped address labor shortages in an aging, predominantly white state.
Anticipating protests, U.S. Attorney Andrew Benson urged demonstrators to remain peaceful, warning that interference with federal law enforcement would be prosecuted.
The operation comes as the Trump administration continues to push ICE to significantly increase arrests nationwide.
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