ICE agents detained a York County Jail corrections officer this week after the employee reported to what officials say was a scheduled immigration appointment in Scarborough.
York County Manager Greg Zinser and York County Sheriff William King confirmed Friday that the officer was taken into custody in Scarborough and is currently being held in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
In a joint statement, county leaders said the employee was “invited to an immigration appointment” earlier in the week and was detained upon arrival. Zinser and King emphasized that, to the county’s knowledge, the officer “has never committed any type of crime that would result in the revocation of his legal status.”
County officials said the employee completed an extensive hiring process, including criminal background checks and verification of eligibility to work in the United States. They also said they were not informed of any change in the officer’s legal status and described him as a “contributing and valued member of the staff.”
The detention comes amid heightened immigration enforcement activity in Maine tied to an operation the Department of Homeland Security announced earlier this week. DHS said “Operation Catch of the Day” was aimed at “targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have terrorized communities,” describing the effort as part of a broader national crackdown.
Local officials, however, signaled concerns that the reality on the ground may be more complex than federal messaging suggests. In Friday’s statement, Zinser and King criticized what they characterized as a widening gap between the public narrative and the types of individuals being detained. “While enforcement actions are being promoted as targeting the ‘worst of the worst’ the reality appears far more complicated,” they wrote.
The York County case is not the only recent detention involving a county corrections employee in Maine. On Thursday, Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce confirmed that a corrections officer recruit was arrested during a traffic stop in Portland the night before.
