ICE got ‘quieter’ – then killed a father in Maine. Now watch groups are shifting their tactics too
ICE-watchers get creative after the killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, as Trump’s immigration crackdown takes a more secretive approach Most of the time, the scene outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in the small, coastal town of Scarborough, Maine , could be confused for a nature watch in “Vacationland”, the slogan on state license plates. People sitting in…
In Scarborough, Maine, a small coastal town, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility often goes unnoticed, with people gathered under a tent, observing ICE's unmarked vehicles and detaining records. This practice, known as ICE-watching, is a constitutional right that gained momentum during the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement.
Although ICE has reduced its visible presence, arrests are on the rise across the country, including in rural and suburban areas like Maine. The Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition (MIRC), a non-profit representing over 100 state-based organizations, has about 100 trained volunteers, but their efforts remain limited due to resource constraints.
Following the killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero by an ICE agent in Biddeford, Maine, ICE-watching efforts have intensified, with 128 calls made to their hotline in a single week. Despite the exhausting nature of the work, community groups continue to mobilize against ICE's aggressive deportation tactics, utilizing encrypted communication channels and multilingual volunteers to connect with the immigrant population.
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