Court records raise doubts that ICE is detaining the ‘worst of the worst’ in Maine

Associated Press (AP)CenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by By PATRICK WHITTLE, HOLLY RAMER and LEAH WILLINGHAMJanuary 24, 2026 at 08:53 AM

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AI Summary

long article 5 min

In January 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted "Operation Catch of the Day" in Maine, detaining over 100 people. ICE stated the operation targeted the "worst of the worst" criminals, including child abusers and hostage takers. However, court records indicate a more complex situation. While some detainees were violent felons, others had unresolved immigration proceedings or were arrested but never convicted of crimes. Immigration attorneys and local officials have expressed concerns that many targeted individuals lacked criminal records, similar to enforcement surges in other cities. One case highlighted by ICE involved Dominic Ali, convicted of violating a protective order, assault, and false imprisonment.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Biddeford 30% New Hampshire 30% Rosie Grutze ×240% Sudan 40% Operation Catch of the Day 50% Portland ×260% Dominic Ali ×270% Maine ×580% U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ×690%

Keywords

ice detention 90% immigration and customs enforcement 80% criminal records 70% court records 70% maine 60% immigration proceedings 50% operation catch of the day 50% violent felons 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

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Source

Associated Press (AP)

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Maine

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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ice detention immigration and customs enforcement criminal records court records maine immigration proceedings operation catch of the day violent felons

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