"We have not revoked existing plates but have paused issuance of new plates. We want to be assured that Maine plates will not be used for lawless purposes,” Bellows said.
Greg Bovino of U.S. Border Patrol, who has commanded the Trump administration’s big-city immigration crackdown, said more than 10,000 people in the U.S. illegally have been arrested in Minnesota in the past year, including 3,000 “of some of the most dangerous offenders” in the last six weeks during Operation Metro Surge.
Bovino defended his “troops” and said their actions are “legal, ethical and moral.”
In Minnesota, meanwhile, a federal judge said he's prepared to grant bond and release two men after hearing conflicting testimony about an alleged assault on an immigration officer. Prosecutors are appealing.
A federal officer shot one of the men in the leg after being attacked with a shovel and broom handle while trying to make an arrest Wednesday, officials said.
The state remains a major focus of immigration sweeps by agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. Several state and local officials were served with federal grand jury subpoenas Tuesday in the wake of statements that encouraged resistance to the ICE arrests of violent illegal immigrants.
A political action committee founded by former Vice President Kamala Harris is urging donors to come to the aid of Gov. Tim Walz, her 2024 running mate, and contribute to a defense fund.
