By Lee Burnett
Maine’s civil rights organization is taking the Sanford Police Department to court to release records relating to cooperation with immigration authorities.
The lawsuit follows a mass public records request that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maine sent to 117 agencies all over the state in 2025 and 2026. The civil liberties union was seeking incident reports about traffic stops that led to law enforcement turning people over to U.S. Immigration Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). All but a handful of agencies responded in full, according to the civil liberties union. The Sanford PD was one of five agencies that did not.
Police Chief Eric Small said his department withheld two requested reports because they contain confidential intelligence and investigative records about active criminal cases unrelated to immigration enforcement. He said he advised the civil liberties union of the option to appeal his decision to court.
“I completely support this legal process and will comply with any court order I receive,” Small wrote in an email.
The civil liberties union said Sanford PD could have protected confidential information while also complying with the public records law by redacting the confidential information. The Maine Supreme Court has ruled that when public records contain a combination of confidential and non-confidential information, the records must be disclosed with appropriate redactions, according to the civil liberties union.
The ACLU claims Sanford PD knew this law because it released call logs with redactions of confidential information. “Instead of engaging in good faith, Sanford officials suggested the ACLU of Maine seek a court order,” according to the union.
Law enforcement cooperation with immigration enforcement authorities has been in the crosshairs since Gov. Janet Mills in December signed a bill limiting cooperation. The legislation prohibits local law enforcement from detaining or arresting people for immigration purposes. The legislation also bars correctional facilities from informing ICE that a person who may be undocumented is being held at that facility.
Chief Small said his agency will cooperate with ICE as it would with other agencies if the request for assistance falls within Sanford PD’s legal authority, such as addressing criminal activity, ensuring public safety, or responding to a call for service. “We do not enforce or investigate federal immigration violations,” he wrote.
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