Another Cumberland County corrections officer detained by ICE
Another Cumberland County corrections officer has been detained by federal immigration authorities, marking at least the fourth such apprehension since last spring.
Nilton Ribeiro was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents last week, as first reported by Maine Public. The corrections officer, who immigration officials said is from Angola, had been working for the jail since August 2023.
Cumberland County Jail administrator Timothy Kortes said Thursday that Ribeiro notified the jail last week and told staff he was unable to report to work, citing an immigration issue.
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A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Ribeiro was apprehended Saturday “during a targeted enforcement operation.”
The federal agency said he “overstayed his welcome” after entering the country in September 2022 with permission to stay until March 2023. Federal officials will not say where he is in custody, and an ICE website does not specify where he is being held; Kortes said he didn’t know more details about his detention.
Kortes said Ribeiro is a “satisfactory employee” who performed his assigned duties and met expectations. He said he could not share further details about his employment.
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Ribeiro is at least the fourth corrections officer at the Cumberland County Jail who has been detained by ICE in the past 16 months.
In April 2025, a corrections officer was detained by federal agents while driving to work.
Another corrections officer, who is now back at work, was detained during a traffic stop during ICE’s surge of enforcement in January.
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That apprehension spurred a clash between Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce and ICE, ultimately resulting in the federal agency removing its detainees from the jail — ending an agreement that brought the county significant revenue. Joyce criticized ICE’s tactics in detaining that officer, calling them “bush-league.”
In June, a third corrections officer was detained at his home in South Portland. Some county officials, including Joyce, accused immigration officials of misrepresenting the circumstances of that man’s apprehension.
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Tagged: Cumberland County Jail, cumberland county maine, Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, ICE, immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Morgan covers breaking news and public safety for the Portland Press Herald. Before moving to Maine in 2024, she reported for Michigan State University's student-run publication, as well as the Indianapolis. More by Morgan Womack
