Trump calls Somalis 'garbage,' launches 'Catch of the Day' operation against Maine's Somali communities

ICE launched "Operation Catch of the Day" on Jan. 21, 2026, targeting 1,400 people in Maine's cities with large Somali populations, arresting over 100 by week's end.

Trump called Somalis "garbage" at a Dec. 2, 2025 cabinet meeting and "low IQ people" at a Jan. 21, 2026 White House briefing and Davos speech, providing political cover for the operation.

Portland school attendance dropped 20% in some schools as families feared sending children to school during the ICE surge.

ICE agents arrested a pregnant Ecuadorian woman in Westbrook, then returned to threaten Liz McLellan, a housing advocate who filmed the arrest, telling her they knew where she lived.

Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline condemned "ICE's terror and intimidation tactics" that "reflect complete lack of humanity," while Portland officials called it "a war of terror" on the city.