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No spike in immigration arrests in Maine yet, but Trump's national crackdown sparks widespread fear

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No spike in immigration arrests in Maine yet, but Trump's national crackdown sparks widespread fear


President Trump’s swift and drastic immigration restrictions — including of longstanding legal pathways — are causing fear and confusion in immigrant communities across the country, and Maine is no exception. A flurry of unverified social media reports of immigration enforcement has also added to that climate of fear. Maine Public’s Nicole Ogrysko and Ari Snider broke down what immigration lawyers and local law enforcement officials are seeing on the ground in Maine.

Nicole Ogrysko: So Ari, we’ve seen a lot of news recently about immigration raids in New York, Chicago, and elsewhere. Are we seeing more immigration enforcement in Maine?

Ari Snider: In short, no. At least, that’s what I’m hearing from immigration attorneys in Maine. I spoke with Anna Welch, she’s the director of the refugee and human rights clinic at the University of Maine School of Law. Here’s what she had to say:

“We have not seen an increase in terms of large numbers of arrests,” Welch said. “I don’t even know if there’s been any substantial difference from when Biden was in office until now.”

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But Welch was quick to say that just because we haven’t seen an increase in arrests yet, that doesn’t mean we won’t see an increase at some point.

Of course, the agency best positioned to answer this question would be Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, or ICE. I’ve reached out to the ICE office in Scarborough multiple times, and they have always referred me to a media email address that I have yet to hear back from.

So when it comes to people like Massachusetts teenager Zeneyda Barrera being held in ICE custody at the Cumberland County Jail, what’s going on there?

It is also not out of the ordinary to see people in federal immigration custody being held at the jail. Sheriff Kevin Joyce told me that’s been happening since the jail was built in 1992. The question is – are we seeing an increase? Sheriff Joyce said as of Thursday, the jail was holding 58 people in ICE custody, five more than they were holding the day before Trump was sworn in.

Joyce said the numbers have ticked up more noticeably since December, but of course Joe Biden was still president at that point.

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Also, some of those being held at the jail for ICE were not arrested in Maine – including the teenager from Massachusetts you mentioned earlier. Joyce said that’s also not out of the ordinary. But he said he told ICE that there’s limited capacity at the jail for people in federal custody.

“You know, if you do a major roundup, you better check and see if we have beds,” Joyce said. “Because I’m not opening another pod just to, you know, take care of that, because I have to look out for my staff as well.”

So, for now, it seems we have not seen a spike in ICE arrests in Maine. But there’s still a lot of fear in immigrant communities, right?

Absolutely. Anna Welch, at Maine Law, said the Trump Administration’s “shock and awe” approach to immigration policy nationally has left many people in Maine very fearful, to the point where some are afraid to send their children to school. And she says that’s intentional.

“That’s the goal right of of this administration,” she said. “To create fear among our immigrant communities. And I think it’s understandable that folks are very fearful.”

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At the same time, social media has been flooded with unverified or unconfirmed reports of ICE activity around Maine since Trump took office. I followed up on a few of these reports recently that ICE was at schools or community colleges, and, in each case, there was nothing there. Welch said those unverified reports actually add to the panic.

“And so before spreading some of those that that information, make sure that you know the source of it, and you have the accurate information, because it’s causing a lot of harm currently to our community,” Welch said.

So, to summarize, from what we’re seeing so far there has not been a noticeable increase in immigration arrests in Maine since Trump took office. But of course, immigration policy is changing really quickly, and it’s only the second week of the Trump administration. We will continue to keep a close eye on all of this.





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Maine Lottery results: See winning numbers for Mega Millions, Pick 3 on Dec. 12, 2025

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The Maine Lottery offers several games for those aiming to win big.

You can pick from national lottery games, like the Powerball and Mega Millions, or a variety of local and regional games, like the Pick 3, Pick 4 and Gimme 5.

While your odds of winning a big jackpot in the Powerball or Mega Millions are generally pretty slim (here’s how they compare to being struck by lightning or dealt a royal flush), other games offer better odds to win cash, albeit with lower prize amounts.

Here’s a look at Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 results for each game:

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Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

10-50-55-58-59, Mega Ball: 05

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

Day: 7-8-7

Evening: 2-2-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

Day: 4-2-5-7

Evening: 7-7-0-7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

06-20-23-30-36, Lucky Ball: 11

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Gimme 5 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

09-11-12-30-37

Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Maine Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3, 4: 1:10 p.m. (Day) and 6:50 p.m. (Evening) ET daily.
  • Lucky For Life: 10:38 p.m. ET daily.
  • Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Gimme 5: 6:59 p.m. ET on Monday through Friday.
  • Cash Pop: 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. ET daily.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

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Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Citizen’s initiative wants to roll back recreational cannabis use in Maine

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Citizen’s initiative wants to roll back recreational cannabis use in Maine


A new citizen’s initiative is looking to roll back recreational cannabis use in Maine.  Maine has allowed for prescribing and limited possession of medical marijuana since 1999, and a successful 2009 referendum established licensed and regulated medical dispensaries. Then, in 2016, Maine voters approved recreational use, retail sale and taxation of cannabis, which the state […]



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Maine Commission releases first recommendations to combat growing deed fraud threat

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Maine Commission releases first recommendations to combat growing deed fraud threat


PORTLAND (WGME) — Maine has spent the past two years grappling with a rise in deed fraud schemes.

The CBS13 I-Team first began investigating after an elderly man didn’t receive his tax bill and learned someone had transferred his property without his knowledge.

Since then, multiple landowners have come forward saying something similar almost happened to them. Our reporting has uncovered for-sale signs posted on land, fake driver’s licenses and signed agreements to transfer deeds; all tied to scam attempts.

Maine has spent the past two years grappling with a rise in deed fraud schemes. (The Nathanson family)

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The growing pattern prompted a state commission to issue new recommendations aimed at stopping the fraud.

Landowners say scam nearly cost them their property

Two summers ago, Cheryl and Ralph Nathanson learned their land on Little Sebago Lake had been put up for sale online.

“We could have lost our property,” Cheryl Nathanson said.

The Nathansons, who live in Connecticut, were stunned when they discovered a fraudulent listing for their Maine plot.

“We notified the police and they said they can take a report on it but that there’s nothing they could really do,” Ralph Nathanson said.

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Police told them it was a classic case of deed fraud: scammers posing as property owners, listing land they don’t own and disappearing with the cash.

The couple was advised to sign up for property alerts through the Cumberland County Registry of Deeds, but quickly learned those alerts offered little protection.

“You can register for the deed fraud but it only informs you, by email, after the deed has been transferred. So it’s basically worthless,” Ralph Nathanson said.

A realtor lists their property…. Again

The following summer, the Nathansons discovered a real estate sign had been placed on their land.

“I was notified by a neighbor that there was a for-sale sign, a realtor for-sale sign, on our land,” Ralph Nathanson said.

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A realtor from Old Orchard Beach had unknowingly entered into an agreement with someone impersonating the couple.

“Some of the information was correct, some of it wasn’t. You can get anything off of Google,” Cheryl Nathanson said.

Ralph Nathanson remembers confronting the agent.

“You are selling my property and I’m not selling the property,” Ralph Nathanson said. “The phone went silent.”

Despite the ordeal, the couple believes they were lucky to have seen the sign, knowing how bad these schemes can get.

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State commission concludes work on deed fraud

“Currently, you all might be landowners and your land might be at risk, and you might not know right now that somebody has sold your land,” Jane Towle with the Real Estate Commission said, during the final meeting of the Deed Fraud Commission.

This fall, a state commission of stakeholders convened to examine ways to prevent deed fraud in Maine.

The Nathansons urged the commission to go beyond awareness campaigns.

CBS13 I-Team Reporter Stephanie Grindley: “You think the state should act beyond just awareness?”

Cheryl Nathanson: “100%.”

Ralph Nathanson: “Absolutely. I think the state of Maine has a responsibility to protect landowners.

But not everyone in the meeting agreed on the scope of the problem.

Attorney General calls deed fraud a low-priority scam

In the final meeting, Attorney General Aaron Frey remained staunch in his skepticism, saying complaints of deed fraud are still relatively rare.

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“What we’re seeing for people getting hurt and losing money, this would probably not be the thing I want to highlight over other scams that are happening right now that are actually costing people their retirement savings,” Frey said.

Sen. Henry Ingwersen of York, who spearheaded the commission, sat down with the I-Team following the final meeting.

Grindley: “During the meeting, I did hear the Attorney General essentially call this a non-issue. His office isn’t getting complaints. He doesn’t see a bunch of consumers loosing money to this. Has that changed your stance?”

Ingwersen: “We’ve had three that have really been highlighted just in southern Maine. We haven’t heard a lot from around the rest of the state, but there has been some, so I think that even though it’s rare, we really need to address it.”

“I was pleased that we did come up with a couple of recommendations that we’re going to put in the report,” Ingwersen said.

Key Recommendation: Verify the seller’s identity

The first area of agreement among most, not all, stakeholders would legally require listing agents to verify a seller’s identity.

“The way it is now, it’s best practice. And a lot of professionals are doing best practice,” Ingwersen said. “The red flags in deed fraud are cash sale, land only, a quick sale at below-market value If we had realtors really paying attention to those red flags but also a policy that would require them to check the identity of the fraudulent seller, or of the seller, thoroughly, I think it would prevent, even if it prevented one instance of deed fraud, I think it would be very helpful.”

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The commission did not outline exactly how identification should be verified.

“We didn’t really specify what that identification process was going to be. We’re leaving that up to rule making,” Ingwersen said.

Second Recommendation: Easier path to undo a fraudulent deed

Currently, the only way to reverse a fraudulent deed in Maine is to go to court.

The commission proposes allowing an attorney to file an affidavit with the registry.

“Allow an attorney to file an affidavit with the deed recorder that would allow the deed to be, the fraudulent deed, to be nullified in a way that is a little bit quicker than we currently have,” Ingwersen said.

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The recommendations will now head to the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee. Any legislative change likely wouldn’t take effect until 2027, if the proposals make it into a bill and then survive a vote.

“I think we made some good progress, but I don’t think this is going to go away. I think this will continue,” Ingwersen said.

Landowners fear fraud will try until it succeeds

“We were thinking, do we take a loan out on it just to secure it?” Ralph Nathanson said.

As the legislative process begins, the Nathansons say Maine cannot wait. They fear it’s only a matter of time before a sale of their land goes through.

“To lose land like this or to find out that their land is now gone, I just can’t imagine that,” Ralph Nathanson said.

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Ideas Left on the Table: Title Freeze and National Guidance

Several proposals failed to gain traction, including a “title freeze.” a concept similar to a credit freeze that would allow a landowner to lock their deed from unauthorized transfers. Maine could have been the first state to pilot it, but members said they lacked enough information.

Instead, they pointed to national group studying deed fraud. The Uniform Law Commission is drafting model legislation that states, including Maine, could adopt to better protect landowners.



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