PORTLAND, Maine — The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners is still deciding whether to cancel the county jail’s contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement . This decision has sparked legal debate and emotional testimony from community members.

At the center of the issue is whether the jail is legally required to hold ICE detainees, even without a formal contract. Sheriff Kevin Joyce says yes and that canceling the agreement would only shift the financial burden from the federal government to local taxpayers.

“That puts financial pressure on the property taxpayers,” Joyce said at a recent board meeting.

Currently, the jail receives $150 per detainee per day, totaling nearly $10,000 daily for housing the 63 people currently in custody under the ICE agreement.

Joyce argues t

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