The Bangor City Council on Oct. 15 defeated Resolve 25-300, "Reaffirming safety, trust and community priorities in local enforcement policies," by a 3-5 roll-call vote after more than an hour of public comment from residents and advocates.

The resolution, advanced by Councilor Beck, would have formalized a requirement that any cooperation agreement between the Bangor Police Department and federal immigration authorities be subject to an open process and multiple layers of municipal review. Proponents said the measure aimed to preserve community trust and protect civil rights; opponents said it was unnecessary and could impede public-safety cooperation.

Councilor Beck moved passage of the resolution. After extensive public comment, the council held a roll-call vote: Councilor Beck, Councilor Dean and Councilor Leonard voted yes; Councilor Fish, Councilor Haas, Councilor Mallor, Councilor Chamboll and Mayor Richard Fournier voted no. The clerk announced the result as 3 yes, 5 no, and that Resolve 25-300 was defeated.

Why it mattered: Supporters said the language would reassure immigrant and multilingual communities that local police would not enter into cooperative enforcement agreements without public notice and oversight. "When you isolate a group of people, all you have done is taken away from law enforcement officers and the community their ability to speak," said Samantha Duplessia, a Milford resident and retired federal law enforcement officer, who spoke in favor of the resolution.

Opponents, including Larry Simmons, a Bangor resident, argued the city already has transparent policies and that the resolution risked creating barriers to information sharing with federal partners. "Passing this resolve implies that there is a lack of these values today, which is simply not true," Simmons said.

Public comment: The council heard many speakers on both sides. Supporters included advocates, teachers and members of the advisory committee on racial equity, inclusion and human rights who framed the resolution as a way to protect victims, witnesses and community trust. Opponents said the measure was symbolic, would duplicate existing policies or could hinder cooperation with federal investigations.

Council deliberations highlighted those differences. Councilor Trimble, who said the advisory committee had recommended stronger language, described the adopted draft as a compromise; Councilor Fish said he opposed the resolution because he believed the city already has policies and should focus attention on other municipal priorities.

Outcome and next steps: With the defeat of Resolve 25-300, the council took no new formal step restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Several speakers urged further local or state action; others said federal oversight would be required to change ICE practices.

Votes at a glance: Resolve 25-300 (defeated) ' vote 3-5.

Context: The debate followed national and state-level controversies about federal immigration enforcement tactics and local cooperation. Supporters pointed to recent detentions and workplace actions in Maine; opponents emphasized potential public-safety implications of restricting information-sharing.