United States v. State of Maine

Case Overview

The Trump administration's Justice Department sued the State of Maine over a change to Maine's confidential license plate program. Maine has long issued confidential (untraceable) plates to law enforcement so agents can shield their identities during investigations. In January 2026, after a request from Customs and Border Protection, Maine put the federal side of the program under review and adopted a new policy requiring federal agencies, as a condition of receiving confidential plates, to attest that the plated vehicles would not be used for federal civil immigration enforcement. The United States contends this condition discriminates against and regulates the federal government in violation of the Supremacy Clause and the doctrine of intergovernmental immunity, and it seeks a declaratory judgment that the policy is unconstitutional along with an injunction. Filed May 27, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine before Magistrate Judge Karen Frink Wolf. Defendants are the State of Maine, Governor Janet Mills, Attorney General Aaron Frey, and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, all in their official capacities.