ICE Agents Accused of Intimidating Observers in Maine

A federal lawsuit seeks $7.5 million in damages after agents allegedly threatened a man for watching their activities

Jan. 30, 2026 at 6:31pm

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Federal immigration agents in Maine have been accused of intimidating and threatening observers who tried to document their enforcement actions, including one man who is now pursuing a $7.5 million lawsuit against the government. The legal filing alleges that agents violated the constitutional rights of Bob Peck of South Portland by threatening to arrest him if he continued to drive behind and watch their vehicles. Peck's lawyer says the case is aimed at stopping such tactics from happening again and documenting the agents' behavior.

Why it matters

The allegations of intimidation tactics used by immigration agents against observers raise concerns about potential violations of civil liberties and the public's ability to hold law enforcement accountable. The legal action could set an important precedent for how far federal agents can go in deterring people from exercising their First Amendment rights to observe and document official activities.

The details

The legal filing alleges that on January 22, Peck saw an unmarked SUV leave a scene where immigration agents were active and decided to follow it, wanting to document any potential rights violations. When the vehicle pulled over, two masked agents approached Peck's car and told him he would be arrested if he continued to follow them, citing a federal statute on impeding law enforcement. Peck's lawyer argues that merely following agents in a car does not qualify as 'forcibly' interfering with them. The filing states Peck now fears being violently arrested if he tries to drive his car and observe immigration enforcement.

  • On January 22, Peck allegedly followed an unmarked ICE SUV and was threatened with arrest.
  • On January 24, the legal claim was filed against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

The players

Bob Peck

A 67-year-old South Portland resident who was allegedly threatened by ICE agents for observing their activities and is now pursuing a $7.5 million lawsuit against the government.

David Webbert

An attorney at the law firm Johnson, Webbert & Beard who filed the notice of claim against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE on behalf of Peck.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that oversees ICE and is named in the legal claim filed by Peck.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal immigration enforcement agency whose agents allegedly threatened and intimidated observers in Maine, leading to the legal action.

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What they’re saying

“The primary thing we're trying to do is to stop it from happening again. We also don't want history to get rewritten. One of the reasons to bring this case is to document that this did happen.”

— David Webbert, Attorney for Bob Peck

“I felt at that point that I was extremely close to physical danger.”

— Bob Peck

What’s next

The government will have six months to respond to Peck's legal claim by either paying the requested damages, offering a counter amount, or denying the claim. If Peck receives no response or a denial, the case could escalate to court.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns about the tactics used by federal immigration agents to deter and intimidate observers, which could infringe on constitutional rights and the public's ability to hold law enforcement accountable. The legal action seeks to document the agents' behavior and prevent such tactics from happening again in the future.