Robert Peck, 67, has sued two ICE deportation officers and the U.S. government, alleging they threatened him for observing immigration enforcement in Scarborough on Jan. 22. A Sept. 23 court filing identified the officers as Nicholas Lapointe and Christopher Semler; an earlier filing agreed their names could be disclosed while other sensitive details remain sealed. Peck's suit is the first FTCA case tied to "Operation Catch of the Day," a weeklong enforcement sweep that detained roughly 200 people.
Two ICE Officers Named in Suit After Maine Man Says They Threatened Him for Observing Enforcement
Two federal agents, pictured here, stopped a South Portland man on Jan. 22 in Scarborough.
Two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officers have been publicly identified in a court filing after a Maine man says they violated his constitutional rights by threatening him while he observed their work during an enforcement surge in January.
Who Was Involved
Robert Peck, a 67-year-old resident of South Portland, filed a lawsuit against the officers and the U.S. government alleging violations of his First and Fourth Amendment rights. Peck says he was watching the agents from a safe distance as they drove through Scarborough on Jan. 22 when two masked agents threatened to pull him from his car and arrest him if he continued to follow them.
Names Released
In a court filing dated Sept. 23, the officers previously identified as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 were named as Nicholas Lapointe and Christopher Semler, both deportation officers with ICE. The filing says neither officer provided his name to Peck at the time of the incident.
Legal Representation and Government Response
Peck is represented by the law firm Johnson, Webbert & Beardin June. The Maine Monitor contacted the Department of Justice attorneys listed in the court filings, Connor John Hackert and Joseph Gonzalez, and was referred to the department's Office of Public Affairs, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sealed Information
In an earlier August filing, government lawyers agreed the officers' names could be disclosed but asked that other information remain sealed. The requested protections include internal shift and staffing records, investigative activities and techniques, and personal contact information for law enforcement officers.
Context: Operation Catch of the Day
Peck's lawsuit is the first Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) case tied to conduct by immigration agents during "Operation Catch of the Day," a weeklong enforcement operation carried out during the Trump administration that targeted immigrants living in Maine. Federal officials initially said they were aiming to detain about 1,400 people; the operation ultimately resulted in roughly 200 detentions, only 11 of whom had criminal records.
Several enforcement actions during the operation involved agents not wearing standard uniforms and using masks to obscure their faces, a pattern that has drawn scrutiny and calls for greater accountability at ICE.
Related Litigation
The ACLU of Maine announced in late July that it was preparing federal lawsuits on behalf of two people and one family who allege they were mistreated by federal agents in Maine, seeking more than $5 million in damages.
Current Status
The case is ongoing. The recent filing that names the two officers resolves one anonymity issue but leaves other investigative and personnel details under seal. Legal proceedings will determine whether Peck's allegations give rise to liability under the FTCA and constitutional law.
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