Courts may eventually address the power imbalance between federal and local law enforcement, but for now, local police are navigating a challenging environment. Jill Snider, a retired New York Police Department officer and resident senior fellow at the R Street Institute, commented on the situation: “I get with local law enforcement that their hands are somewhat tied, and they don’t want to be caught up in this, but at the same time, they don’t want to close the door to at least having effective communication with the federal agents and ICE and CBP agents that are working in their jurisdiction. I have a lot of empathy for local law enforcement right now.”
Snider expressed concern about ongoing ICE operations across several states. In Portland, Oregon, more than 1,100 immigration arrests have occurred since January 2025. The situation escalated further when two protesters were shot by federal officers in 2026.
She also highlighted recent events in Maine. Federal officials reported over 100 arrests during the first three days of “Operation Catch of the Day.” In both Oregon and Maine, local police departments have chosen not to cooperate with federal officers. In Maine specifically, a new law restricting police involvement in immigration enforcement took effect earlier than expected after Governor Janet Mills allowed it to become law in December.
Snider cautioned that if agencies continue to operate independently or work against each other’s goals, it could negatively impact community trust and public safety efforts. “This could lead to fewer people willing to call 911 if they are the victim of a crime, they’re maybe less likely to cooperate if they are a witness to a crime, and police really rely on that type of information from the general public when they are trying to solve crimes,” Snider said. “Now, it seems more and more people are becoming skeptical of any actions that law enforcement is taking.”
