ICE is moving Maine detainees more quickly and farther away, report says
ICE Transfers in Maine Are Rapid and Far‑Flung, Analysis Shows
A new study by the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition finds that the vast majority of people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the state’s only facility in Scarborough are moved out of Maine almost immediately after processing. The report, based on data obtained through public‑records requests, highlights a dramatic shift in the agency’s handling of detainees over the past two years and raises concerns among lawyers and family members about the impact on legal representation and community ties.
Quick Moves from the First Stop
The analysis examined 293 detentions at the Scarborough facility between January 1 and August 5 of 2026. Of those, 98 % were transferred to locations outside Maine, with the majority headed first to Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 90 % of the detainees were moved within six hours of their initial processing, and the average stay at any given facility dropped from 46 days in 2024 to just 12.6 days in 2026.
“We’re seeing a dramatic acceleration in the movement of people once they reach the Scarborough center,” said Hunter Cropsey, the programs and engagement manager for the coalition and co‑author of the report. “It’s an unprecedented pace that makes it difficult for families and attorneys to maintain contact.”
A National, Even International, Network
After leaving Scarborough, detainees were sent to 30 different facilities in 11 states. The most common next stops this year were Plymouth, Massachusetts; Dover, New Hampshire; and Burlington, Massachusetts. From there, many were transferred further south, with 40 % of those first processed in Scarborough spending time in the Gulf‑state region, particularly Louisiana and Texas. Arizona, Georgia, and Ohio also appeared on the list of subsequent destinations.
The report notes that these longer‑haul transfers are especially problematic because they place detainees far from the support networks that often play a crucial role in legal defense. “A move across the border to New Hampshire can cut off detainees from their support systems and their chances of a good legal defense,” Cropsey added.
Context: Growing ICE Presence in Maine
ICE’s presence in Maine has expanded significantly in 2026, a development that followed the agency’s surge of arrests in January under the Trump administration’s push for increased deportations. During that month, hundreds were taken into custody—most of whom had no prior criminal convictions—and ICE subsequently removed detainees from the Cumberland County Jail, a move that prompted criticism from local law enforcement and the community.
The Scarborough facility, the only ICE detention center in the state, has been the focus of frequent protests. In July, an ICE agent in Biddeford fatally shot 25‑year‑old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a man with no criminal history, sparking widespread outrage and calls for a moment of silence outside the facility. Meanwhile, the Maine People’s Alliance, led by Rev. Jodi Hayashida, has organized demonstrations and petitions to push for the facility’s closure.
Implications for Legal Advocacy
Families, lawyers, and community groups have long argued that ICE’s swift, multi‑state movements make it hard to locate detainees, file appeals, or coordinate legal representation. The coalition’s report confirms these concerns, noting that the speed of transfer and the distance from original communities create “severe hurdles for legal representation and family contact.”
“With planned increases in ICE enforcement and the proposed Newport facility in Penobscot County, those patterns are likely to intensify,” the report concludes. The upcoming Newport site, currently in planning stages, could further complicate efforts to track and support Maine residents who are detained by the agency.
The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition has made the data available for public scrutiny, hoping to bring greater transparency to ICE’s operations in the state and to support advocacy efforts aimed at ensuring fair treatment for all detainees.
