Business groups in Maine are urging Congress to exert greater oversight of ICE operations and limit agents' aggressive tactics.
The Maine State Chamber of Commerce, along with chambers in Portland, Lewiston and Auburn say that businesses across nearly every sector are triaging how to stay open as authorized workers stay home from their jobs due to fear of ICE.
The group says ICE agents' aggressive tactics are also creating a public safety concern and resulting in significant declines in customer traffic to businesses. In a letter to the state's congressional delegation, they're urging federal lawmakers to set limits to ensure that ICE enforcement is focused on individuals without legal status who have criminal records.
They're also asking Congress to reform what they say is a "broken" immigration system and establish a clear pathway for long-term legal status for residents without a criminal history.
Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced Thursday that the ICE surge in Maine is over, but Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree said there's no indication that the agency has changed its policy of detaining individuals who are in the U.S. legally.
