By Eesha Pendharkar | Senior Reporter
“They’re coming in, they’re kidnapping and killing our neighbors. The response is insufficient.” - Biddeford business owner Lauren Wilbur on Gov. Janet Mills’ letter to Congress about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
People pay respects on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at a memorial for Johan Sebastián. The 25-year-old was fatally shot by ICE agents on Monday in Biddeford, Maine. (Photo by Eesha Pendharkar/Maine Morning Star)
By Eesha Pendharkar and Emma Davis
Two days after federal immigration agents fatally shot 25-year-old Johan Sebastián in Biddeford, Gov. Janet Mills visited the makeshift memorial residents built in his honor. Within moments, the governor was surrounded by local business owners and neighbors demanding to know why U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were allowed to operate so aggressively in their community — and what the state planned to do about it.
By Ariana Figueroa, States Newsroom
President Donald Trump directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to resume traffic stops Wednesday, reversing a one-day pause on the policy after officers killed two immigrants who were in their vehicles in Texas and Maine.
In a post to social media, Trump called the practice of federal immigration officers conducting enforcement during traffic stops “one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective” tools.
By Emma Davis
Eight candidates vying to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate will participate in a televised debate Thursday night.
The 90-minute debate at 7 p.m. on News Center Maine will be the first time the candidates make their pitches statewide since Platner dropped out about a week ago after his support from the party tanked following an accusation of sexual assault, which he has denied.
By Kaitlyn Budion
The Maine Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday approved a milestone $40.5 million for the state’s Low Income Assistance Program, nearly doubling its budget as officials prepare for a surge in enrollment after expanding automatic electricity bill discounts for low-income households.
It’s the largest allocation the program has ever had, and nearly twice as much as the budget for the program’s current year. Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn said the support for LIAP is particularly important because electricity is a requirement for every household.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Aroostook treatment court admits first participant | Kaitlyn Budion
US senators grill Blanche over ‘slush fund’ deal as he seeks attorney general confirmation | Ashley Murray, States Newsroom
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