Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Troy Jackson sharply criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), President Donald Trump, and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins during a veterans-focused rally in Biddeford on Saturday, accusing the federal agency of operating without sufficient accountability and arguing Collins enabled its expansion by supporting additional funding.
The event, organized by the Maine People’s Alliance, brought together veterans and activists to protest ICE operations in Maine following the fatal July shooting involving an ICE agent in Biddeford. Jackson delivered prepared remarks while reading from his cellphone throughout the entirety of his speech, seldom looking away from the screen. Following the event, several attendees told The Maine Wire they felt the speech appeared heavily scripted and said they would have preferred remarks delivered more directly to the audience.
Jackson thanked the veterans in attendance for their military service and said their experience gave them a unique perspective on the responsibilities that accompany the use of force.
“You understand that a uniform does not place somebody above the law,” Jackson said. “It places a greater responsibility on them to follow it.”
Throughout his remarks, Jackson repeatedly compared military rules of engagement to the conduct of federal immigration officers, arguing that ICE agents should be held to the same standards of identification, restraint and accountability expected of U.S. service members in combat.
Referring to the recent Biddeford shooting and other ICE operations, Jackson said federal officers operating with face coverings and unmarked vehicles have undermined public trust.
“Government agents should identify themselves. They should be accountable for their actions. They should use force only when necessary, and they should respect the constitutional rights of every person in this country,” Jackson said.
Jackson argued that support for immigration enforcement and constitutional protections are not mutually exclusive.
“The Constitution is the law, and due process is the law,” he said.
The Democratic nominee also drew on his upbringing in Allagash, saying his experience working in the logging industry shaped his views on government accountability.
“I grew up in Allagash in a logging family,” Jackson said. “Government has a choice. It can protect ordinary people from the abuse of power, or it can become another tool for powerful people to use against them.”
A significant portion of Jackson’s speech focused on Collins, whom he accused of helping expand ICE’s authority by voting for legislation that provided approximately $70 billion in additional funding for ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Jackson argued that Collins should have demanded additional safeguards before supporting the funding.
“Concern is not courage,” Jackson said. “You do not get to provide the money and power the operation and then pretend that you bear no responsibility for what they do.”
He added that Collins should have required federal agents to identify themselves, strengthen transparency requirements and ensure greater accountability before approving additional funding.
Jackson also criticized what he described as Collins’ priorities, arguing that while she has cited limited resources for veterans’ healthcare and rural hospitals, she supported billions of dollars for immigration enforcement.
Toward the end of his address, Jackson broadened his criticism to President Trump, accusing the administration of normalizing aggressive immigration enforcement tactics and fostering division among Americans.
He argued that the country could maintain secure borders while still protecting constitutional rights and due process.
“We can have a secure border. We can enforce immigration laws, and we can build an immigration system that is orderly, fair and functional,” Jackson said. “But we can do that without abandoning due process.”
Jackson concluded by calling for greater oversight of federal law enforcement and urging supporters to unite behind what he described as constitutional principles rather than political division.
The Biddeford rally comes as immigration enforcement has become a central issue in Maine’s U.S. Senate race following the fatal July ICE shooting in Biddeford, which remains under investigation. Collins has previously called for a full investigation into the shooting and later urged the Department of Homeland Security to require body-worn cameras for ICE officers during field operations.
Jackson’s appearance marked one of his highest-profile campaign events since securing the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.
