A recent immigration enforcement operation in Maine has heightened tensions in the battle for a vulnerable U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Susan Collins. The operation, launched by federal authorities, drew criticism for its broad scope and prompted Collins to intervene with the Department of Homeland Security. Democratic challengers have seized on the issue to question her independence from the Trump administration.
On January 21, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiated Operation Catch of the Day in Maine, targeting undocumented immigrants in the state's diverse communities. Officials described it as focusing on "the worst of the worst," but reports indicated a wider net, including the arrest of a Colombian civil engineer with a valid work permit during his commute, two asylum-seekers employed at county jails, and an incident where agents broke a car window, scattering glass near a month-old baby while detaining his father, who had no criminal record.
As the only Republican senator from a state that did not support Donald Trump in 2024, Sen. Susan Collins faces a challenging reelection for her sixth term, announced on February 10. Responding to constituent concerns and media coverage, Collins contacted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. "I called Secretary [Kristi] Noem because I was very concerned about what I was hearing from constituents and seeing in news reports," Collins told Maine Public Radio. She criticized the operation's name as "highly offensive" and argued that ICE had overreached beyond those with criminal records. Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, pressed for suspension of the enhanced operations in Maine, and Noem agreed, leading to a noticeable reduction in the visible enforcement surge.
Despite this, Democratic candidates have not credited Collins. Challenger Graham Platner, a Marine Corps veteran and oyster farmer, stated, "Susan Collins didn't make that happen," attributing the pullback to community resistance and accusing her of failing to curb ICE earlier. "She's done absolutely nothing to stop ICE," Platner said. Two-term Gov. Janet Mills, Collins's potential primary opponent, condemned the Trump administration during her State of the State address for "stoking fear in our communities ... and arresting people not on public safety grounds but based on quotas, on skin color, on accents, on religion, on ethnic origin." Mills declared, "If you seek to harm Maine people, you will have to go through me first."
Mills has shifted from past cooperation with Collins to portraying her as complicit in funding ICE without accountability. Democratic groups, backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer who endorsed Mills, are airing over $2 million in ads criticizing Collins on the issue. Her campaign dismissed the ads as "false and intentionally misleading," highlighting a stalled Republican DHS budget proposal that includes $20 million for ICE body cameras and de-escalation training amid Democratic demands for reforms like banning masked agents.
Collins emphasized her record of independence, supporting presidents when she agrees and opposing when she disagrees. With independents comprising nearly one-third of Maine voters—key to her past wins—political observer Dan Shea of Colby College noted the state's shift toward deeper blue leanings, shrinking that voter pool. Shea described Collins as an underdog in a race likely to be close, with high Democratic turnout driven by opposition to Trump policies, including immigration.
