Maine: Resources for ICE Detainees

This guide is for people detained by ICE in Maine and for their families - both Maine residents arrested in Maine, and families elsewhere whose loved ones have been transferred to Maine for processing. Maine has no dedicated ICE detention facility. ICE uses county jails under US Marshals contracts for short-term detention before transferring people out of state. Cumberland County Jail in Portland was the primary hub, peaking at 129 ICE detainees in February 2026 - but Cumberland County Commissioners voted 3-1 on April 22, 2026 to remove ICE from the jail's federal contract. Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset has also held up to 25 ICE detainees. People arrested in Maine during 'Operation Catch of the Day' (January 2026) were rapidly sent out of state - to FCI Berlin in New Hampshire, the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Rhode Island, and Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts, among other destinations. More than half of the people held in Cumberland County Jail under ICE orders were transferred there from other states - not Maine residents. Maine falls under the ICE Boston Field Office. The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) is the primary free legal organization for Maine. Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline: (207) 544-9989. Last verified: June 2026.

Step 1: Find Your Family Member - Right Now

ICE Online Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov

You need: the person's full legal name, date of birth, and country of birth - OR their A-Number (Alien Registration Number). Maine is primarily a transit and short-term holding state - people arrested in Maine are often transferred out of state quickly. If a family member appears to be in Maine initially, check daily as their location may change within hours.

ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024 (toll-free)

EOIR Immigration Court Case Status: 1-800-898-7180

ICE Boston Field Office (covers Maine): Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (781) 359-7660

Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline: (207) 544-9989 - Operated by ILAP (Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project). Call to report ICE activity, get referrals for detained family members, and access emergency support.

Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition (MIRC) Resource Hub: maineimmigrantrights.org - Comprehensive guide to locating a detained person, reporting a detention, and accessing legal and financial help.

If a family member was arrested in Maine but has been transferred out of state: The ICE Detainee Locator may show a facility in New Hampshire (FCI Berlin), Massachusetts (Plymouth County Correctional Facility), Rhode Island (Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility), or Louisiana. These are the documented transfer destinations for Maine ICE detainees. Search the locator and call the ICE Boston Field Office for current location.

Step 2: Where ICE Detainees Are Held - Maine and Transfer Destinations

Maine Facilities - Short-Term Holding Only

Maine has no dedicated long-term ICE detention facility. County jails have served as short-term holding facilities via US Marshals contracts. The situation in Maine changed significantly in April 2026.

Cumberland County Jail - Portland (VOLATILE - vote to exclude ICE April 2026)

40 County Way, Portland, ME 04102

Phone: (207) 774-5890

ICE case information: Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (781) 359-7660

Cumberland County Jail in Portland was Maine's primary ICE detention hub during Trump's second term, rising from approximately 14-27 ICE detainees per month in early 2024 to 129 in February 2026 and 122 in March 2026. The jail held ICE detainees under a US Marshals Service contract - not a direct ICE contract - that paid approximately $150 per detainee per day. On April 22, 2026, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 to remove ICE from this contract. The vote followed intense community pressure, a new Maine state law allowing counties to refuse civil immigration detention, and a public confrontation between ICE and Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce after ICE detained one of the sheriff's corrections officer recruits.

CURRENT STATUS: As of the April 22, 2026 vote, Cumberland County Jail is no longer accepting ICE detainees for civil immigration holds. ICE had already removed all detainees in January 2026 following the dispute with Sheriff Joyce. The jail will still hold federal detainees who also have pending criminal charges under state law. Verify current status before assuming this facility holds someone.

Two Bridges Regional Jail - Wiscasset

Two Bridges Regional Jail, Wiscasset, ME 04578

Phone: (207) 882-9200 (Lincoln County Sheriff)

ICE case information: Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset (Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties) held up to 25 ICE detainees in 2025 under a similar arrangement to Cumberland County. The jail did not publicly confirm its ICE contract status at time of reporting. Current status: verify with (207) 882-9200 or the ICE Detainee Locator.

Other Maine county jails

Androscoggin County Jail (Auburn), York County Jail (Alfred), and possibly others have held small numbers of ICE detainees with criminal charges under ICE detainers - not under formal ICE contracts. People in these jails must typically resolve state criminal charges before being transferred to ICE custody. If a family member is in a Maine county jail with an ICE detainer, contact ILAP immediately.

Out-of-State Transfer Destinations - Where Maine Detainees Go

People arrested by ICE in Maine are regularly transferred out of state quickly - sometimes within hours of arrest. Documented transfer destinations include:

FCI Berlin - Berlin, New Hampshire

Federal Correctional Institution, Berlin, NH - A federal prison holding ICE detainees. Documented destination for Maine ICE detainees after January 2026 operations.

Phone: (603) 752-7800

Electronic messaging: TRULINCS - corrlinks.com

Mail: [Name + A-Number], FCI Berlin, 1000 Mast Road, Berlin, NH 03570

Plymouth County Correctional Facility - Plymouth, Massachusetts

26 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, MA 02360 - (508) 830-6200

This is a primary transfer destination for detainees from Maine and across the New England region. Also see the Connecticut and Rhode Island articles in this series for more detail on Plymouth County.

Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility - Central Falls, Rhode Island

950 High Street, Central Falls, RI 02863 - (401) 726-5390

Phone system: Securus Technologies. Electronic messaging through Jurislink.com for attorney-client. ICE detainee inquiries through Providence Field Office.

Louisiana facilities

Maine attorneys reported in January 2026 that women removed from Cumberland County Jail may have been transferred to Louisiana. Louisiana's network of remote rural detention facilities - including Winn Correctional (Winnfield), South Louisiana IPC (Basile), and others - has received detainees from across the country. See the Louisiana article in this series.

ICE's planned Scarborough detention facility

ILAP and the ACLU of Maine filed a lawsuit in 2025 demanding information from ICE about its plans to open a new detention facility in Scarborough, Maine. Verify whether this facility has opened at ice.gov or by contacting ILAP at (207) 544-9989.

Step 3: Get Legal Help - Act the Same Day

ILAP - Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (Primary Free Resource)

ilapmaine.org | (207) 544-9989 (Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline) | Portland

ILAP is the primary free immigration legal organization in Maine, providing removal defense, detention representation, and comprehensive immigration legal services to Maine immigrants. ILAP provides free immigration legal help to people detained by immigration authorities if they live in Maine or are being held in Maine. The Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline at (207) 544-9989 serves as both a referral line and a rapid-response line for reporting ICE activity. ILAP has been the leading legal organization responding to Maine ICE enforcement since January 2026, including 'Operation Catch of the Day,' and has provided legal support to more than 300 people held at Cumberland County Jail during Trump's second term.

ILAP's services are available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Lingala, Haitian Creole, Somali, Arabic, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Ukrainian, and other languages.

University of Maine Law School - Refugee and Human Rights Clinic

Professor Anna Welch, Founding Director | Portland

Maine Law's Refugee and Human Rights Clinic started a project in January 2026 to provide limited consultations for ICE detainees at Cumberland County Jail, in partnership with the ACLU of Maine. Students and faculty from the clinic have spoken with more than 100 detainees since January 2026. Contact ILAP for referrals to the clinic.

ACLU of Maine

aclumaine.org | Portland

The ACLU of Maine has been active in monitoring Maine ICE detention, filing information requests, co-authoring advocacy reports, and partnering with Maine Law and ILAP on legal support. Contact for civil rights concerns, conditions complaints, and referrals.

Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition (MIRC)

maineimmigrantrights.org - Coalition of 100+ organizations providing comprehensive resources for detained immigrants. MIRC's Resource Hub (maineimmigrantrights.org/mirc-resource-hub) includes step-by-step guidance on locating a detained family member, reporting a detention, and accessing financial help.

For people transferred to Massachusetts (Plymouth County)

Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN): beyondbondboston.org - Bond support, community accompaniment, and support for detainees at Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

For people transferred to Rhode Island (Wyatt)

ACLU of Rhode Island: riaclu.org - Contact for legal support for people at Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility.

EOIR Pro Bono List

Each ICE detention facility is required to post a pro bono legal service list in housing units. Ask your family member - wherever they are held - to request the list and use the facility phone to contact providers.

Immigration Advocates Network

immigrationadvocates.org - National searchable directory; search by Maine or by the state where the detainee is now held.

Step 4: Bond - How to Get Someone Released

Bond allows a detained person to be released from ICE custody while their immigration case continues. Maine falls under the ICE Boston Field Office and, for court purposes, the Chelmsford, Massachusetts Immigration Court (which opened in 2024 to serve New England).

Bond posting for Maine detainees

Bond for people detained in Maine or transferred to New England facilities is posted at the ICE ERO Boston Field Office:

ICE ERO Boston: 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803 | (781) 359-7500 - Monday-Friday (except federal holidays) 9 AM-3 PM

Payment: Money order, cashier's check, or certified check payable to 'Department of Homeland Security.' For bonds over $10,000, a single cashier's check or certified check is required. Bring the detainee's full name, A-Number, and bond order.

A licensed immigration bond agent can post bond electronically for a fee, avoiding travel to Burlington, MA.

Bond and Financial Support Funds

Maine Solidarity Fund

Inquire at maineimmigrantrights.org - Provides bail/bond payments, legal fees, emergency family support, and immigration document fees. Heavily used; application forms may occasionally close during backlog periods.

Community Relief Fund (CRF)

Community and BIPOC-led mutual aid and rapid response fund for families impacted by ICE detention.

Mainers for Humane Immigration

Provides commissary deposits, release support, and letter-writing programs for Maine ICE detainees.

Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN)

beyondbondboston.org - Immigration bond support for people connected to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island, including those detained at Plymouth County Correctional Facility in MA.

National Immigrant Bond Fund

immigrantbondfund.org - National fund; requires family contribution.

Step 5: Communication - Maine and Transfer Facilities

If detained in Maine (Cumberland or Two Bridges - verify current status)

Cumberland County Jail: (207) 774-5890. Verify whether ICE detainees are still being accepted following the April 2026 vote. If held there, contact ILAP at (207) 544-9989 immediately.

Two Bridges Regional Jail: (207) 882-9200. Verify current ICE detainee status.

FCI Berlin, NH

Phone: (603) 752-7800 | Electronic messages: corrlinks.com (TRULINCS)

Mail: [Name + A-Number], FCI Berlin, 1000 Mast Road, Berlin, NH 03570

Plymouth County Correctional Facility, MA

Phone: (508) 830-6200 | Phone system: Securus Technologies (securustechnologies.com)

Attorney clients: Jurislink.com for scheduling legal visits

Mail: [Name + A-Number], Plymouth County Correctional Facility, 26 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, MA 02360

Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility, RI

Phone: (401) 726-5390 | Phone system: Securus Technologies

Electronic messaging: Jurislink.com

Mail: [Name + A-Number], Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility, 950 High Street, Central Falls, RI 02863

Step 6: Maine's Enforcement Context and Your Rights

What happened in Maine - 'Operation Catch of the Day' and aftermath:

In January 2026, ICE and DHS conducted 'Operation Catch of the Day' in Maine, arresting dozens of people. The operation targeted asylum seekers and people without criminal records - DHS had promoted it as targeting 'the worst of the worst' but investigative reporting by ILAP and others found it swept up asylum seekers and people with no criminal history. ICE detained one of Cumberland County Jail's own corrections officer recruits, prompting Sheriff Joyce to publicly criticize ICE as 'bush-league policing.' Within hours, ICE retaliated by removing all ICE detainees from the jail. The incident accelerated Cumberland County's April 2026 vote to stop accepting ICE detainees.

ICE attendance required at immigration appointments - danger:

A York County Jail corrections officer was detained by ICE after attending an immigration appointment he was 'invited' to in Scarborough. ILAP confirmed that ICE has denied clients the right to have attorneys present at check-in appointments. Contact ILAP before attending any ICE check-in or immigration appointment in Maine.

Maine state law change:

Gov. Janet Mills signed legislation in 2025-2026 clarifying that Maine county jails may refuse to hold people detained solely for civil immigration violations. This is the legal basis for Cumberland County's vote. It does not prevent ICE from operating in Maine or prevent jails from holding people with pending criminal charges.

Rapid transfers out of state:

Maine attorneys documented that the majority of people held at Cumberland County Jail were not Maine residents - they were transferred there from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. And people arrested in Maine are sent out of state quickly - sometimes within hours. This rapid movement creates chaos: attorneys lose contact, families lose track, and legal cases become more difficult to manage. Track location daily using the ICE Detainee Locator.

Do not sign anything without an attorney:

ICE may pressure detained people to sign Voluntary Departure documents. Contact ILAP at (207) 544-9989 before signing anything.

Key rights every detainee has:

The right to speak with an attorney. In Maine, ILAP has documented ICE denying attorneys access at immigration check-in appointments - contact ILAP if this happens.

The right to a bond hearing before an immigration judge (unless subject to mandatory detention).

The right to be free from physical, sexual, and verbal abuse.

The right to access medical care.

The right to communicate with your home country's consulate (free calls required).

To report arrests or file complaints:

Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline: (207) 544-9989

ACLU of Maine: aclumaine.org

DHS Inspector General: oig.dhs.gov | 1-800-323-8603

Quick Reference - Maine ICE Detainee Resources

Find a detainee:

ICE Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov

ICE Detention Reporting Line: 1-888-351-4024

EOIR Case Status: 1-800-898-7180

ICE Boston Field Office: Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (781) 359-7660

Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline (primary first call):

(207) 544-9989 - ILAP

Maine detention facilities (volatile - verify before calling):

Cumberland County Jail (Portland): 40 County Way - (207) 774-5890 - ICE excluded as of April 2026; verify

Two Bridges Regional Jail (Wiscasset): (207) 882-9200 - verify current status

Primary out-of-state transfer destinations:

FCI Berlin (Berlin, NH): 1000 Mast Road - (603) 752-7800

Plymouth County (Plymouth, MA): 26 Long Pond Road - (508) 830-6200

Wyatt Detention (Central Falls, RI): 950 High Street - (401) 726-5390

Legal help:

ILAP: ilapmaine.org | (207) 544-9989

ACLU of Maine: aclumaine.org

MIRC Resource Hub: maineimmigrantrights.org

Post bond:

ICE ERO Boston: 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803 | (781) 359-7500 - Mon-Fri 9 AM-3 PM

Bond/financial support:

Maine Solidarity Fund: maineimmigrantrights.org

BIJAN (bond support): beyondbondboston.org

Sources and verification: Maine Morning Star, 'Immigration Detention Increase Reveals Expanded Federal Operations in Maine,' April 8, 2025 (Cumberland County Jail Portland 129 February 122 March 2026 ICE orders; 16 February 14 March 2024; 27 April 13 May 10 June 20 July 27 August 47 September 49 October 54 November 50 December 2024; US Marshals contract July 2010 no direct ICE contract; Androscoggin four criminal+ICE York four criminal+ICE no contracts; Two Bridges Wiscasset up to 25 advocacy groups; Sheriff Kevin Joyce; Anna Welch Maine Law Refugee Human Rights Clinic limited consultations January 2026 in partnership ACLU Maine; more than half transferred from other states MA CT RI NJ; no dedicated ICE facility Maine); Maine Morning Star, 'Feds Pull Immigrants Held in Cumberland County Jail After Sheriff Rebukes ICE,' January 24, 2026 (ICE retaliation after Joyce criticized recruit detention; 300+ people legal support Maine Law clinic during Trump second term; detainees moved to FCI Berlin NH Donald Wyatt RI Plymouth MA; women unclear possibly Louisiana; majority not Maine residents; Ruben Torres Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition advocacy and policy manager 'folks having issues locating loved ones'; Maine Morning Star 'Operation Catch of the Day'); Maine Morning Star, 'Cumberland County Commissioners Vote to Stop Holding ICE Detainees,' April 22-23, 2026 (3-1 vote April 22 2026; removes ICE from Marshals contract; Maine law clarification 'unless detained solely for civil immigration violation'; Patricia Smith District 4 commissioner quote; Stephen Gorden sole dissent financial concern; Sheriff Joyce disappointed; ICE 'bush-league policing' after recruit detention; $150/day per detainee; 30+ years county built jail funding around federal revenue; Presente! Maine 'victory'; county must still hold criminal charge detainees); ACLU of Maine press release September 2025 (Two Bridges Wiscasset up to 25; Cumberland 80 as of April 16; Marshals agreement; all counties except Somerset Hancock responded; Wells Monmouth Winthrop 287g agreements; towns of Franklin Somerset Hancock incomplete); ILAP Maine (ilapmaine.org; (207) 544-9989 Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline; primary free legal org Maine; free legal help to Maine residents or held in Maine; 300+ at Cumberland during Trump term; Anna Welch clinic; lawsuit with ACLU against ICE about Scarborough detention facility plans; languages English French Spanish Portuguese Lingala Haitian Creole Somali Arabic Amharic Pashto Dari Ukrainian); Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition resource hub (maineimmigrantrights.org; MIRC 100+ organizations; Maine Solidarity Fund bail bond legal fees emergency family application fees; Community Relief Fund BIPOC-led mutual aid; Mainers for Humane Immigration commissary release letter-writing; BIJAN bond support ME NH VT RI Plymouth County); ACLU of Maine KYR page (aclumaine.org/preparingforice; ILAP for Cumberland Two Bridges Strafford NH; ILAP for Plymouth MA Wyatt RI; Maine Immigrant Resource Hub for financial help; multilingual KYR resources); ILAP history (ilapmaine.org/timeline; ILAP ACLU Maine filed lawsuit against ICE 2025 detention transfer activities and Scarborough facility plans); York County corrections officer news (York County Sheriff William King; officer detained at immigration appointment Scarborough January 23 2026; in custody Plymouth MA as of Friday; released later; King 'still an employee on unpaid leave'); Bond posting (ICE ERO Boston 1000 District Avenue Burlington MA 01803 (781) 359-7500; per Connecticut article in same series as referenced above). Volatile items: Verify Cumberland County Jail current ICE detainee status (April 22 2026 vote removed ICE from contract; verify whether facility fully ceased ICE holds; Sheriff Joyce said ICE 'will find a way around it'); verify Two Bridges Regional Jail current ICE operations (up to 25 as of April 2025; unclear if still holding as of June 2026); verify ICE plans for Scarborough detention facility (ILAP and ACLU Maine filed lawsuit for information; verify current status at ice.gov or by calling ILAP); verify FCI Berlin NH current ICE population (documented transfer destination; verify current status); verify ICE ERO Boston current bond posting hours at Burlington MA; verify any new Maine county jails that may have taken on ICE detainees following Cumberland's exit. Last verified: June 2026.