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South Berwick council schedules workshop, asks police and counsel to draft statement after resident testimony on ICE activity
Summary
After multiple residents described recent immigration enforcement activity in Maine, the South Berwick Town Council directed counsel and the police to draft a joint public statement and scheduled a workshop with the police chief to clarify local protections and the town’s stance.
Residents pressed the South Berwick Town Council on Tuesday to clarify how the town will protect immigrants and other residents in the wake of increased federal immigration enforcement in Maine.
Alicia Nellis Reyes told the council her family fled persecution and said she has seen municipal leaders and residents report arrests and warrantless entries tied to recent federal operations. “People every day…are being detained, separated from their families, or denied due process,” Reyes said during public comment, calling the federal activity “indiscriminate targeting.”
Several other residents offered similar testimony: Penny, an attorney who said she has prosecuted and defended criminal cases, urged local police to enforce local law if federal agents act unlawfully and offered pro bono assistance to file complaints. Amelia Dilla asked town leaders for “leadership, clarity and reassurance” and asked what resources the town could share with residents who are scared or unsure of their rights.
In response, a council member moved to “direct the council, in coordination with the police department, to prepare a joint statement affirming the town’s commitment to the rule of law and the safety of all residents” and to authorize drafting resolutions consistent with that commitment. The motion was seconded and the council agreed to schedule a short workshop with the police chief and other representatives next week so staff and council could prepare the statement for a future agenda.
Council members emphasized limits on local authority. At least one member reiterated that Maine statutes and federal supremacy constrain what local police may do with respect to federal officers, and asked that any public statement be coordinated with the police department so it reflects operational realities.
The council did not adopt a final statement at the meeting; instead it authorized staff and counsel to draft the text in coordination with the police chief and to return it to the council for possible formal action.
What’s next: The council scheduled a workshop with the police chief and staff to prepare the draft statement and expected to place the statement and any proposed resolution on a future meeting agenda for formal consideration.
