Biddeford City Council signals support for ordinance to block city cooperation with ICE
Biddeford City Council to Weigh Ordinance that Would Bar City Employees from Working With ICE
Biddeford, Maine – In the wake of a deadly encounter with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that left Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 23‑year‑old man from Mexico, dead, Biddeford’s nine councilors agreed to advance a measure that would prohibit all city employees from cooperating with federal immigration officers. The ordinance was passed unanimously at the council’s first reading on Tuesday night and will be brought to a final vote on October 20.
The proposal was born from a tragic July shooting in which an ICE agent discharged a firearm that struck Durán Guerrero as he walked near a bridge in downtown Biddeford. The incident sparked widespread protests; hundreds gathered at Mechanics Park that evening to demand accountability and a safer community. In the weeks that followed, the family of the deceased has called for greater transparency in how ICE operates in the city.
Councilor David Kurtz, who delivered the council’s unanimous endorsement, said the ordinance “would move the needle an inch and make it one percent of one percent less likely that someone will be gunned down in the streets, I consider it absolutely worth it.” The council’s decision echoes similar moves in Portland and Lewiston, both of which have enacted ordinances limiting city cooperation with ICE. The state of Maine has also passed a law effective in July that curtails police coordination with federal immigration agencies.
City Attorney Harry Center confirmed that the Biddeford Police Department already does not cooperate with ICE. “We have procedures in place that keep our officers out of that kind of collaboration,” he told reporters. “An ordinance would formalize and broaden that stance to all city staff, reinforcing our commitment to community safety.”
Not all councilors were initially wary of the proposal. Marc Lessard, who had previously described such restrictions as a “dangerous precedent” that could carry unintended consequences, admitted that the shooting had altered his perspective. “I want to say to Johan’s family and to all Biddeford families, I wish this had never happened,” he said. “I want Biddeford to be the most welcoming, safe, and happy place it can be.”
Lessard also proposed an amendment that would require the council to review the ordinance every six months, a move that was defeated at the first reading.
The ordinance will return to the council on October 20 for a second reading and final vote. If passed, it would prohibit city employees—including police, public works, and other municipal staff—from providing any assistance or information to ICE agents. The measure is part of a broader effort across the state and the region to reexamine local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
The city’s decision comes amid continuing public debate over the role of local governments in ICE operations. For Biddeford residents, the ordinance represents a pledge to prioritize community safety and to prevent future tragedies.
