Maine officials say they’re pausing the issuance of undercover license plates after receiving a request for plates by immigration enforcement.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said on Saturday that the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles received the request from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, though she didn’t say when exactly the request came in, or how many plates were requested.
“These requests in light of rumors of ICE deployment to Maine and abuses of power in Minnesota and elsewhere raise concerns,” Bellows said in a written statement. “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.”
Rumors of increased deployment of ICE agents to the Pine Tree State have been recently circulated by community leaders, though there’s been no official confirmation by the Department of Homeland Security.
The plate request coincides with federal authorities placing an order for cold weather gear this past week for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Houlton.
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