Officials and immigration advocates in Portland and Lewiston — Maine’s two biggest and most diverse cities — are bracing for a possible U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation that could launch as early as next week, although nothing has been confirmed by federal authorities.

Portland Mayor Mark Dion said in a statement Wednesday that the community is “anxious and fearful,” and “rejects the need for the deployment of ICE agents into our neighborhoods.”

“There is no evidence of unchecked criminal activity in our community requiring a disproportionate presence of federal agents,” he said. “While we respect the law, we challenge the need for a paramilitary approach to the enforcement of federal statutes. The consequence of law enforcement should not be chaos and violence, which only results in making Portland less safe.”

Dion added that he and the Portland City Council “stand, not apart, but with our lawfully admitted immigrant and refugee communities.”

Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline urged residents to know their rights and to have a plan of action if ICE agents stop them in the streets or visit their homes or businesses.

“I understand that this is an unsettling time for many of our residents,” he said. “Lewiston is a strong city and we care about our community and each other. Please check on your neighbors and stay safe,” he said, adding that “as a reminder, Lewiston police do not enforce federal law.”

Lewiston police spokesman Lt. Derrick St. Laurent said his department does not know if or when ICE plans a large operation in Lewiston. He referred to the rumor as an ongoing one and said the department has never been notified of such operations.

Dion said the Portland Police Department does not cooperate with ICE and it does not participate in enforcing federal immigration law. City spokesperson Jessica Grondin said because of that stance, the department has not been made aware of any planned federal enforcement.

“We do not cooperate with ICE so therefore they don’t communicate with us,” she said.

The city of South Portland posted a statement on Facebook and on the city’s website saying it would not participate in federal immigration detention efforts. “The city has not and will not seek authority to participate in immigration enforcement,” Shara Dee, the city’s communications officer, said in an email. The email also said the South Portland Police Department “does not work cooperatively with ICE nor does it consider immigration status relevant to its commitment to public safety.”

South Portland officials wrote on the city website, “South Portland’s institutions are aligned in their commitment to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all community members, and to act as trusted spaces where families are welcomed and supported.”

Gov. Janet Mills said in a video statement on Wednesday night that she has directed Maine State Police “to work closely with local law enforcement as necessary” in advance of and during any federal operations, and that she has been in contact with the attorney general’s office and Portland and Lewiston officials “to coordinate our response.”

She also said she has “attempted unsuccessfully” to confirm with federal officials whether any immigration enforcement operations are planned for Maine.

“To the federal government, I say this,” Mills said. “If your plan is to come here, to be provocative and to undermine the civil rights of Maine residents, do not be confused: Those tactics are not welcome here.”

Mills also urged Mainers who plan to protest to do so peacefully.

“If they come here, I want any federal agents and the president of the United States to know what this state stands for: We stand for the rule of law. We oppose violence. We stand for peaceful protest. We stand for compassion, for integrity and justice.” 

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, also issued a statement in response to the rumors.

“Given the videos and headlines we have seen from operations conducted in other states — many of them reckless, heartless and irreversibly destructive —I share the same worries many of you have,” King said in an email. “In the days ahead, I want to encourage everyone to look out a little closer for one another and be mindful of the rights that our Constitution gives to every man, woman, and child in this nation.

“If you witness any lawlessness done cloaked in the cause of federal law enforcement, please alert your local leaders, state officials and federal delegation.”

Reached for comment Wednesday, an ICE official said, “For reasons of operational security and officer safety, ICE does not comment on any ongoing, upcoming or potential operations.”

Mufalo Chitam, executive director of the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, which operates an online resource hub and hotline to report ICE activity, said her organization has been on high alert for 48 hours, preparing for a possible statewide response.

“So far, arrests in Maine have been happening sporadically,” Chitam said Wednesday. “Knock on wood they don’t happen as they have in other states, but if they do, we need to be prepared to respond.”

For Chitam, that means making sure members of the immigrant community have the tools to keep themselves safe, and that the wider community has the information needed to provide assistance when necessary.

Chitam noted that when ICE enforcement actions occur, they impact businesses, schools, government agencies and beyond.

“It affects everyone,” Chitam said. “Now, it’s not just immigrants who are affected, it’s the whole community that’s affected and has to respond.”

Businesses and organizations are preparing in numerous ways to avoid interaction with the federal agency, which has increased its presence in cities across the U.S.

Last week, ICE launched a significant operation in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, which led to intense public backlash after a Minneapolis mother was shot and killed in her car by an agent. 

Since the killing, ICE protests have erupted across the country, including in Maine.

In his statement, Dion said, “If you decide to protest or demonstrate, keep your efforts peaceful and consistent with the expectations for lawful behavior that we all share.”

Following alleged Medicaid fraud cases in Minnesota involving members of its large Somali communities, some local and national conservative media outlets have been trying to connect Maine to the scandal, citing the state’s sizable Somali immigrant community, which is concentrated in Lewiston and Portland.

Portland schools have confirmed that many students stayed home from school Monday and families mobilized to protect students at the entrances of schools.

Lewiston Public Schools Superintendent Jake Langlais did not respond Wednesday to questions about attendance or preparations at the schools, but Sheline confirmed that some parents did not send children to school Wednesday.

During the Portland Public Schools board meeting Tuesday, Chair Sarah Lentz affirmed the district’s commitment to not support federal immigration agents, stating, “ICE is not welcome here.”

“When we receive information about increased enforcement activity here in Maine, we take it very seriously, we investigate what we are hearing, work with our community partners, work to understand the facts and respond accordingly to support our schools and families,” she said. 

Maine Trust for Local News reporters also reached out to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson, who did not respond.

Staff Writers Morgan Womack, Riley Board, Kelley Bouchard, Mark LaFlamme and Drew Johnson contributed to this report.