Lincoln County commissioners declined to apply for two Homeland Security Grants (HSG) Aug. 5, citing a new requirement for cooperation with federal immigration officials. In past years, Lincoln County applied for Homeland Security and Emergency Planning Management (EPM) grants for disaster preparedness and response.

County Administrator Carrie Kipfer had read the application and discovered a new provision requiring recipients to cooperate with federal immigration forces. She added that applicants had until Aug. 2 to apply, so she contacted two commissioners prior to their next meeting.

"Conditions for these grants significantly changed and we can't in good conscience honor them," she said during the commissioners' meeting. "The policy is contrary to sheriff's office's and Two Bridges (Regional) Jail's policies, and we don't have the mettle to interfere in immigration matters."

The Homeland Security Grant is up to $35,000 for disaster relief and EMPG is a separate grant at a lower amount, but linked to HSG, according to County Emergency Management Agency Director Emily Huber.

Based on Kipfer's previous conversation with commissioners, it was decided Lincoln County wouldn't apply for the grant. Once the deadline passed, Maine Emergency Management Agency officials contacted Kipfer to verify the county's intentions. "I told them it was not a mistake, and we couldn't accept the new conditions," she said.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, five provisions were added this March to the 2025 Homeland Security Grant. New requirements include applicants must comply with statutes prohibiting restrictions on information-sharing by state and local officials with the department about citizenship and immigration status of any kind.

Applicants must follow immigration laws that prohibit encouraging undocumented immigrants to enter or reside in the U.S. and also prohibit harboring, concealing, or shielding undocumented immigrants from detection, or engaging in conspiracy, aiding or abetting an attempt to violate immigration statutes. Applicants must honor requests for cooperation such as participation in joint operations, sharing of information, or requests for short-term detention of a noncitizen pursuant to a valid detainer.

Applicants must provide access to detainees including when immigration officers seek to interview people who may be removable. Applicants must not leak or publicize the existence of immigration-enforcement operations.

Kipfer told commissioners Aug. 5, Maine is one of 20 states that joined a lawsuit filed by California against the Trump administration seeking to stop policies withholding grants for transportation and homeland security in jurisdictions that don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.