Wells Police Department Ends Controversial ICE Partnership Amid Community Protests

The Wells Police Department in Maine has formally ended its participation in the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) program, which allowed local officers to assist ICE with immigration enforcement. Police Chief Jo-Ann Putnam cited the blurring of lines between policing and politics and prioritized community safety in her decision to terminate the agreement, which had been on hold since May amid state legislative debates and public protests. Wells was the only police department in Maine to join the program when it signed on in April but faced immediate backlash including rallies and petitions from immigrant advocates and community members. Despite withdrawing from the program, Chief Putnam affirmed that the department will continue to cooperate with federal partners and uphold the law appropriately. The decision reflects broader tensions over local involvement in federal immigration enforcement and ongoing legislative efforts in Maine to restrict such agreements, which Governor Janet Mills has yet to sign. Community activists credited public pressure and protests as contributing factors to the department's reversal.