REeeeeeee
that's rayciss
Hannah Pingree
@PingreeHannah
Nothing about this is normal or ok. Even the name—"Operation Catch of the Day" is racist and degrading. It's a sick joke. Please continue to check on your neighbors. ICE OUT OF MAINE.
From pressherald.com
1:15 PM · Jan 21, 2026
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https://x.com/pingreehannah/status/2014039154527551956
habbenin
freshPortland Andy
📢ICE Shooting Los Angeles
Portland Andy
>REeeeeeee
>that's rayciss
ICE says 50 arrested in Maine as DHS launches ‘Operation Catch of the Day’
ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told Fox News the agency is targeting about 1,400 individuals in Maine.
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Author: NEWS CENTER Maine Staff
Published: 10:37 AM EST January 21, 2026
Updated: 12:31 PM EST January 21, 2026
PORTLAND, Maine — U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials said they have launched “Operation Catch of the Day,” a targeted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement effort in Maine.
ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told Fox News the operation has resulted in about 50 arrests so far. Hyde said the agency is targeting about 1,400 individuals in Maine.
Hyde also criticized Maine’s law enforcement ban on collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying it has hindered operations.
She told Fox News “agitators” in the state impeded enforcement actions, but added that the agency will continue until it has arrested all its targets.
DHS did not immediately provide additional details on the specific locations of arrests or the identities of those targeted.
Westbrook Mayor David Morse said in a social media post that ICE has been actively conducting operations and detaining people in Westbrook Tuesday and Wednesday.
"At least one peaceful US citizen observer from Westbrook was targeted for intimidation by a masked federal law enforcement officer this morning," Morse said. "This is outrageous behavior from a federal authority, and I stand by our citizens’ rights to peacefully observe and/or protest."
Reports of increased ICE activity spread across southern Maine on Tuesday, prompting brief school lockouts and rising anxiety among immigrant communities.
Two Portland schools—Deering High School and Lincoln Middle School—briefly locked their doors around 9 a.m. after reports of ICE agents possibly on nearby Brighton Avenue. No threat was found, and the lockouts were quickly lifted, district officials said.
"This is an understandably tense time in our community, as reports and rumors of immigration enforcement actions grow," a statement from Portland Public Schools said. "The Portland Public Schools will continue to follow our protocols for keeping students and staff safe, while also staying focused on our core work of teaching and learning. We will continue to provide updates directly to our PPS community as we have information to share."
RELATED: Maine Republicans criticize Mills, Bellows for their response to rumors of heightened ICE activity
Staff at the Cumberland Farms on Woodford Street in Portland told NEWS CENTER Maine they had received several reports of ICE agents in the area on Tuesday morning.
>ICE says 50 arrested in Maine as DHS launches ‘Operation Catch of the Day’
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said Tuesday afternoon there is an "increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Lewiston." He said he is basing that on posts he's seen online and what he's heard throughout town. Sheline has not been able to confirm that with ICE.
"I know, given the national news, this may cause anxiety, fear or uncertainty for some in our community. In moments like this, what matters most is how we show up for one another and that we remember who we are and what we stand for as Mainers: the rule of law, the right to peacefully protest, and compassion for our neighbors," Sheline said in a statement. "I ask everyone to remain calm and peaceful, act lawfully and rely on verified information. I urge you to know your constitutional rights. If you encounter an ICE agent, it is very important to remain calm."
He told NEWS CENTER Maine earlier that the city is working on finding ways to support one another.
RELATED: Rumors of increased ICE activity in Maine circulate without official confirmation
"Fear is definitely palpable on the street right now and I understand that," Sheline said. "What we need to do now is to find ways to support each other, and that work is ongoing and happening in a variety of ways."
Elsewhere, Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis urged tribal members to carry tribal identification amid reports of federal detentions of Native Americans in other states. He said no ICE activity had been reported on tribal lands in Maine but cautioned members to stay informed.
"We know that many of you have heard reports of ICE interactions involving individuals who are, by law and by birthright, citizens of Tribal Nations," Francis said in a statement. "News and social media reports indicate that ICE has detained several Native Americans throughout the country and have conducted raids on facilities located on Tribal lands. The Tribal government has verified that some of these reports are true, and some are false."
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-immigration/ice-arrests-portland-maine-operation-catch-of-the-day-dhs/97-4f155dc9-f6ca-4779-ae27-bd63b2f22278
Catch of the Day
> https://www.reddit.com/r/portlandme/comments/1qj00ex/video_shows_ice_arrest_from_0840_this_morning/
r/portlandme
•
5h ago
AdeptnessDry2026
Video shows ICE arrest from 08:40 this morning
>Catch of the Day
>Catch of the Day
Westbrook Mayor manufacturing fake news stories with BLM housing advocate
"Targeted for intimidation." Westbrook, Maine, mayor decries ICE operations in his city
David Morse says a local housing advocate saw agents arrest a pregnant woman Wednesday and says agents later tried to intimidate the advocate
The police vest of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer
The police vest of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer
SOURCE: Christopher Juhn/Anadolu
WMTW logo Updated: 11:37 AM EST Jan 21, 2026
Editorial Standards ⓘ
Adam Bartow
Executive Producer
WESTBROOK, Maine —
The mayor of Westbrook, David Morse, says United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been actively conducting operations and detaining people in Westbrook on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
He saidhe spoke with one woman, who ran for City Council in 2025 and is a local housing advocate, who saw agents arrest a pregnant immigrant from Ecuador on Pleasant Street in Westbrook Wednesday morning.
Penobscot Nation
Penobscot Nation chief encourages members to carry tribal ID amid concerns about ICE activity
It was not immediately clear if the woman was charged or being detained or what her legal status was.
He said the woman told him ICE returned to Pleasant Street later Wednesday morning and yelled at her saying they knew her name and where she lived. Morse said she was a peaceful U.S. citizen observer who was "targeted for intimidation by a masked federal law enforcement officer."
ICE police vest generic
'Tone down the rhetoric' | state leaders pointing the finger on handling of ICE
Morse went on to say "This is outrageous behavior from a federal authority, and I stand by our citizens’ rights to peacefully observe and/or protest."
Portland Mayor Mark Dion told Maine's Total Coverage on Tuesday that his office has been getting numerous calls and videos about ICE activity in the city. He said it was clear that agents were in the city, but he was not sure of the scope.
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline also said on Tuesday that there was an increased ICE presence in his city.
https://www.wmtw.com/article/targeted-intimidation-westbrook-maine-mayor-decries-ice-operations-city/70075573
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizeiselemclellan-21
>https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizeiselemclellan-21
Rairdon, McLellan face off in Westbrook City Council race
Two candidates seeking the at-large, three-year seat.
Community:
Westbrook
Posted September 30, 2025
Robert Lowell
Staff Writer
4 min read
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Two widely known figures in Westbrook are running for the available at-large, three-year seat on the City Council in the municipal election on Nov. 4.
Gary Rairdon, a former city councilor, and Elizabeth Eisele McLellan, a community advocate, are hoping for voters’ support.
The at-large seat is now held by City Council President Claude Rwaganje, who is not seeking reelection.
ELIZABETH MCLELLAN
Elizabeth Eisele McLellan
McLellan, 48, is a familiar figure at City Council and Planning Board meetings and says she frequently speaks on issues. McLellan is the parent of two teenagers.
She works as an eviction prevention program coordinator
and marketing manager.
She has been active since 2022 in the Westbrook Community Housing Coalition and currently its chair. McLellan was the planning chair of Westbrook Juneteenth Celebration from 2022 to 2024 and also served three years in the Equity in Sports initiative.
What is the No. 1 issue facing Westbrook?
“I’m hearing about two (not one) top issues from Westbrook residents: housing and safety,” said McLellan. “Prioritizing housing means that we need to address the tax burden on residents, many older, so they can stay in their homes, work to make rents affordable for our local workforce and those starting out, and continue to address the homelessness experienced by children in our school system. Everyone deserves to feel safe and stable in their home.
“Once residents leave their home, they also want to feel safe on our streets. From stop signs to busy intersections, the risk of an accident has increased. When children run outside to play, go for a bike ride or walk to school, we want to know that our neighborhoods are safe, and that everyone is looking out for them. Safety for others means not being targeted for the color of their skin or the languages they speak.”
Why do you want to serve on the City Council?
“When Mayor (David) Morse asked if I would run, my initial response was, ‘But I’m not a politician,'” said McLellan. “And that is the reason I’m running. I’m a problem solver and challenge accepter. I listen to those closest to the problem, gather information, look at the big picture, and believe that when you hit a wall there is always a way over, under, through or around. Often it takes a different perspective to see all the options. Communication, compassion and curiosity are the tenets that I lean into and believe are vital to being a thoughtful and effective city councilor, especially when there are many voices, challenges, thoughts, perspectives and needs present. The strength of a community comes from its people and its neighborhoods, rich with humanity, brimming with the curiosity of youth and the wisdom of elders. I’m running because I want to tap into that strength and help my community thrive.”
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/09/30/rairdon-mclellan-face-off-in-westbrook-city-council-race/