U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents arrested 39 people in Maine during a 10-day targeted operation that concluded last week.

According to the federal agency, all of those arrested were undocumented immigrants, most from Central American countries and some from China.

So far this year, border officials have arrested more people in Maine than in all of 2024, reflecting the Trump administration’s hardline stance on detaining and deporting individuals who are in the United States illegally.

“The United States Border Patrol will continue ongoing operations to target criminal aliens for arrest, prosecution, and removal proceedings as appropriate,” Houlton Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Craig Shepley said in a written statement. “All of these efforts are for the safety and security for the State of Maine and the U.S. as a whole.”

The operations last week relied on what officials called “detailed intelligence” and were conducted in several smaller Maine towns, including Oquossoc, Mechanic Falls, Madawaska, Dresden, Palmyra, Rangeley and Madison. Arrests also were made in Augusta and Houlton.

Border officials did not release any names of those arrested or say where they are being held, although there are many individuals currently at Cumberland County Jail on federal holds. Each faces immigration charges and possible deportation. Some have criminal histories, including assault and theft, according to information provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The recent sweep is the largest in Maine since Trump returned to office, but there has been increased activity for months. In March, more than a dozen migrant workers were detained by border patrol agents in Franklin County.

There also has been an increase in Border Patrol encounters, which refers to any instance where agents interact with individuals who are suspected of attempting to enter the United States without proper authorization. In February and March of this year (the most recent data available), there have been 124 encounters by Maine agents, nearly twice as many as February and March of 2024.

Border officials are permitted by law to conduct citizenship checks without a warrant within 100 miles of the country’s border, which includes all of Maine.

As immigration enforcement has emerged as a top priority for the Trump administration, many advocates say immigrants – even those with valid green cards or visas – are wary of being plucked off the street and pulled into an unmarked Border Patrol or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle. With each new arrest, more and more families are choosing to stay home from work or school, hidden away from law enforcement and distrusted neighbors.

This story will be updated