As immigration enforcement actions continue across the United States under the policies of the previous administration, Democrat Graham Platner has voiced strong concerns about the practices of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during his campaign for the U.S. Senate in Maine. Platner, a candidate seeking to unseat long-serving Republican Senator Susan Collins, has been vocal in his criticism of current immigration policies.
In a video shared on social media on Sunday, Platner addressed a crowd, responding to a question about his views on ICE. He described the agency as “armed, masked secret police” engaged in what he called “kidnapping American citizens” and “abusing people because of the color of their skin.” The statement drew significant attention and support from the audience.
Platner expressed his intent to hold hearings in the Senate if Democrats regain control, aiming to investigate the actions of immigration agents and those responsible for directing them. “When we have power again, I want to haul all of these people and the ones that made them do it in front of a Senate subcommittee, make them take their masks off,” he said, prompting enthusiastic applause.
He emphasized that individuals involved in such actions should be required to justify their behavior before the public. “They need to explain to the American people how they can justify their illegal and unconstitutional behavior,” he added.
Recent polling suggests that both Platner and outgoing Maine Governor Janet Mills, who is expected to enter the Senate race, are well-positioned to challenge Collins, who has served since 1997. According to a poll conducted by Zenith Research for More Perfect Union, Platner leads Collins by 14 points, while Mills is ahead by 8 points.
Although Maine has experienced ICE enforcement operations and protests against the agency, it has not been a central focus compared to other regions. In Chicago, for instance, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit recently upheld a ruling blocking the deployment of National Guard troops in northern Illinois.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, reported over 1,000 arrests since the start of Operation Midway Blitz last month. Federal agents have faced scrutiny for actions in Chicago, including the fatal shooting of a driver, the detention of a news producer without charges, and violent crackdowns on protests. These incidents have led to legal challenges against the administration, with recent rulings against federal actions in the area.
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