07-05-2025
Wells community divided over ICE agreement with local police
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The Wells Select Board listens to public feedback about the Wells Police Department contract with ICE during a meeting on May 6. (By Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
A small coastal community in southern Maine is divided over their local police force contracting with federal immigration authorities.
The usually sparse Wells Select Board Meeting was standing room only Tuesday night with more than 50 people turning out to share both strong opposition to the agreement and unwavering support. Tensions ran high with one resident interrupting public comment to repeat the myth that there is a migrant crime surge.
'We talk about coming together and having conversations, but we can't even do it in this room,' said Select Board Chair John MacLeod III after the outburst. 'Everybody in here has a right to speak, whether they agree with you or not, okay?'
The Wells Police Department became the first local agency in Maine to contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the agency's 287(g) program in April. After previously being discontinued due to the discovery of discriminatory practices such as racial profiling, President Donald Trump revived the program to bolster ICE's capacity by deputizing local police officers to detain immigrants.
Some hope Wells will follow the Monmouth Winthrop Police Department, a combination of departments that serve central Maine communities, which withdrew its application for the program after community pushback, with their Police Chief Paul Ferland citing the division it caused in the community as the main reason. Such division in Wells was on full display Tuesday night.
A handful of Wells residents had requested the board terminate the agreement during its meeting last month and that opposition has grown based on the sizable presence at Tuesday's meeting. These residents said they don't want their local force collaborating with an agency that has been accused of disregarding due process, for local police funding to go toward federal enforcement and possibly litigation, or for Wells to be known as an unwelcoming place for immigrants.
However, the latest meeting also drew those who commended local police for entering the federal partnership, telling the board that a few dozen people hand delivered a letter stating as much to Wells Police Chief Jo-Ann Putnman on Monday.
'Wells was the first and hopefully they won't be the only,' said Bonnie Heptig, a small business owner.
Residents in favor of the contract shared similar reasoning as Putnman, who previously told Maine Morning Star that she entered into the agreement to take advantage of a training opportunity and streamline work flow.
'I believe without a doubt that any training provided to this agency wouldn't be abused or used incorrectly because the ethics and the morals of our Wells Police has proven that,' said Wells resident Cat Curly.
Trust in Wells Police is the one point of agreement among residents.
As she told Maine Morning Star before last month's meeting, Wells resident Cheryl Dearman Mills said the issue at hand is not a matter of trust. 'We are operating in the real world where we do not trust what's happening at a higher level,' Dearman Mills said on Tuesday, 'and when you sign something that puts ICE in the supervisory role and allows for specific things, we don't trust that that can be controlled.'
Wells resident Mary Marra urges the Select Board at its past two meetings to terminate the Wells Police Department contract with ICE. (By Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
The Trump administration has faced a slew of lawsuits over its immigration enforcement and deportation policies for allegations of detaining and deporting people with varying legal statuses without due process. Dozens of judges have now issued adverse rulings.
Two federal judges on Tuesday blocked the administration's use of a wartime law to deport immigrants. In the most high profile case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to 'facilitate' the return of the erroneously deported Maryland resident, but stopped short of requiring it.
While Putnam has said her force will only use the agreement for training and to act on existing federal warrants that have had judicial review, the memorandum of understanding lists a much broader scope of work, such as interrogating anyone officers suspect to be in the country illegally, arresting without warrant people attempting to unlawfully enter the country and serving and executing warrants of arrest for immigration violations.
'It talks about how there's a training available that is free, fantastic, but it also clearly states in that agreement that any additional costs are not covered by the Department of Homeland Security,' said Wells resident Beth Allen.
We are operating in the real world where we do not trust what's happening at a higher level and when you sign something that puts ICE in the supervisory role and allows for specific things, we don't trust that that can be controlled.
– Cheryl Dearman Mills of Wells
ICE is responsible for the cost of training and information technology infrastructure, however the local law enforcement agency bears all other costs, including personnel expenses such as salary and overtime, benefits and lawsuits, according to the memorandum of understanding.
'Even if members of this community do trust Chief Putnam to work within the bounds of what she has said she will use this agreement for, we have no guarantees,' said Bath resident Elijah Diaz, who started organizing pickets at the Wells Police Department every Sunday after hearing about the agreement. 'These decisions could far outlive her tenure.'
Other Wells residents took issue with the agreement being viewed as a training opportunity.
'ICE Enforcement and Removal training is about detain and deport, not skills for professional development,' John Stanton told the board.
In addition to raising concerns about costs that could be incurred to respond to constitutional challenges against law enforcement actions, some residents also noted the human costs. Stating that Wells is often referred to as 'the friendliest town in Maine,' people in the hospitality business raised concern about that reputation possibly going away and hurting businesses due to the ICE agreement.
Daria Cullen, a Wells resident who is a part of Southern Maine for Racial Justice and York County Community Action Corp., said she has spoken with asylum seekers who are fearful of going out and worries the agreement will exacerbate that panic.
'We're very divided,' Cullen said of the community, 'and that's surprising to me.'
Wells resident Mary Marra, who held up a sign that read 'support our local police by keeping Wells PD local,' said, 'I think sometimes fear of the unknown gets the better of people.'
While Wells remains the only local police agency in Maine in the 287(g)program, these agreements have been growing across the country.
As of May 6, ICE has signed 523 agreements for 287(g) programs across 38 states.
Wells' agreement is specifically for 287(g)'s 'task force model,' which ICE describes as a 'force multiplier.' ICE, as of May 6, has signed task force model agreements with 242 agencies.
This is up from 456 agreements overall and 190 task force agreements in mid-April.
The program's other two models are focused on investigating people who have already been arrested and booked in local jails.
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