The Maine legislature made mixed progress on racial equity in 2026. While there were efforts to shield New Mainers from excessive actions of federal agencies like US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), attempts to advance tribal sovereignty largely fell flat due to opposition from Governor Mills.
Protecting New Mainers
2026 began with a surge in immigration enforcement in Maine under what the federal government called “Operation Catch of the Day.” ICE detained hundreds of Mainers, the vast majority of whom lacked any prior criminal conviction. While state governments are limited in the ways they can restrain the activities of federal agencies, Maine did take several steps to protect New Mainers this year:
- In early January, Governor Mills allowed LD 1971, a bill passed last year, to go into law. Beginning late July, local law enforcement agencies will be restricted from working with federal agencies on cases purely for immigration enforcement.
- LD 2106 will prevent public schools, state health care facilities, and state-run libraries from granting access to facilities or records for immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant. It will also have the attorney general’s office draft model policies for privately-run institutions to adopt to protect students and patients.
- LD 2176, which went into law unsigned by the governor, prevents landlords from providing personal information on tenants, including immigration status, without a judicial warrant.
Tribal sovereignty
The legislature considered two major bills to recognize the inherent sovereignty of the Wabanaki Nations this year.
LD 395 would have amended the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act to allow the Wabanaki Nation access to dozens of federal laws from which they are currently excluded, and potentially brought millions of additional dollars in federal grant money to the economy. But with Governor Mills opposed to the bill, the Judiciary Committee amended it to a resolve calling for a legislative-executive working group to work on the issue in the future. This amended version of the bill was signed into law.
LD 785 would have implemented the remaining recommendations of the 2020 commission on tribal sovereignty and restored Wabanaki rights over land acquisition, environmental regulation, and civil legal jurisdiction. With the Governor opposed to most of these, the bill was narrowed to a very small set of tax advantages for tribal employees and equipment destined for use on tribal land. This version of the bill was signed into law.
One bill that did pass into law was LD 1054, which will allow the Wabanaki Nations to hold conservation easements under Maine law, recognizing the role indigenous stewardship has in conservation and making it easier for private landowners to work with the tribes.