Portland council urges governor to impose short eviction moratorium after surge in ICE activity

Portland, Maine — The Portland City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution asking Gov. Janet Mills to enact a temporary moratorium on residential evictions and to expand rental-assistance and legal protections for tenants after a recent surge in immigration-enforcement activity.

The resolution (Resolve 8 25 26), sponsored by Councilors Kate Sykes and Pius Ali, was read aloud and brought forward for immediate consideration after lengthy public testimony. Dozens of residents and tenant organizers urged action during the council's public-comment period. Julie O’Boyle of the Portland Tenants Union told the council “approximately 653 households across the Greater Portland area alone are currently at risk of eviction,” and asked the council to press the governor for a 60‑day stay on residential evictions.

The petition referenced by speakers collected signatures quickly: James Downey told the council the Tenants Union had gathered “670 signatures and counting” in recent days and asked the city to demand a pause on evictions while rental assistance and legal safeguards are arranged.

Councilors debated the resolution before voting. Councilor Kate Sykes said she was motivated after attending neighborhood mutual-aid meetings and described volunteers “putting themselves in harm’s way” to protect vulnerable neighbors. Councilor Grama (transcript spelling) said she supported the sentiment but cautioned about the legal and procedural limits of the city’s authority; she noted state legislation (identified in discussion as LD 1522) that may address emergency rental support and that a governor-declared state of emergency would be required to impose a statewide moratorium.

Mayor Dion described the measure as an appeal to the governor rather than a legally binding local order: the resolution asks state action, not a local eviction prohibition. The council took a hand vote and the chair announced the resolution passed unanimously.

What happens next: The resolution will be transmitted to the governor’s office as a formal request; implementation of an eviction moratorium would require state action by Gov. Mills or state-level legislation. The council also discussed monitoring state-level relief and exploring city-level rent-relief options.

Quotes from the meeting illustrate the tone of public concern: “Please protect the safety and dignity of our community members by taking this request for an eviction moratorium to the governor,” Julie O’Boyle said. James Downey summarized public pressure: “It is our sincere hope that the council will rise to the occasion by taking our demands to Governor Mills.”

The council approved the resolution after extensive public comment and discussion and moved on to the remainder of its agenda.