Former Maine governor Paul LePage said a member of his family who holds U.S. work authorization is facing deportation and blamed "politics in Washington" for the action. He did not identify the relative's country of origin; his campaign declined to provide further details to The New York Times. LePage said immigration enforcement should prioritize gangs and dangerous criminals and reiterated a distinction between legal and illegal immigration. His Democratic opponent, Matt Dunlap, accused LePage of previously demonizing immigrants and supporting ICE overreach.
Paul LePage Says Relative With Work Authorization Is Being Wrongfully Deported, Blames 'Politics in Washington'
Screenshot via Paul LePage on X
Former Maine governor Paul LePage, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump who is running for a U.S. House seat, said this week that a member of his family who has authorization to work in the United States is being wrongfully deported.
LePage raised the case during a news conference, saying:
"My son's wife's dad is here legally. But he's being deported because he came from a country that's not liked by certain people in Washington. That's not right."
LePage also told reporters that his relative "has authorization to work in the United States" and "should be allowed to stay." He did not identify the relative's country of origin or provide further details about the immigration case. His campaign declined to offer additional information to The New York Times.
Context and Response
The comment came while LePage was responding to a question about increased immigration enforcement in Maine, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stepped up operations as part of broader deportation efforts under the Trump administration. LePage said people who entered the country illegally have "broken the law," but argued enforcement should focus on "people in the gangs and criminals." He added that "not everybody that's here is illegal" and that the nation's immigration laws "need to be fixed."
LePage, who served two terms as Maine's governor, has a history of hard-line immigration positions: while in office he criticized asylum seekers and implemented policies limiting refugee resettlement and certain state benefits for immigrants. On the campaign trail he has emphasized a distinction between legal and illegal immigration.
The remarks arrive as LePage campaigns for the House seat being vacated by Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME). His Democratic opponent, state auditor Matt Dunlap, accused LePage of having previously demonized immigrants and of welcoming ICE overreach into Maine, telling The Times, "Paul LePage is no friend to immigrants or their families."
Campaign Messaging
LePage released a campaign ad this week that stresses his position on immigration and his personal background: "Immigration built our nation," the ad says, and notes that French was his first language. The ad highlights his record as governor, asserting that he ended "Maine as an illegal immigration sanctuary state," cut off certain welfare benefits to unauthorized immigrants, and prioritized taxpayer dollars for Mainers.
Reporting on the story originally appeared in Mediaite and cited details provided to The New York Times.
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