As the new year begins, elected officials at all levels of government, from the president of the United States to small-town mayors, will be placing their hands on family Bibles and reciting their oaths of office. In addition to the prescribed oath that each of us in elected office takes, we might consider one more as we assume the responsibility of serving the people who elected us: a Hippocratic Oath for politicians that begins with, “First, do no harm.”

For years, irresponsible immigration policies have been inflicting harm on large segments of the American public. During the past four years, under the outgoing Biden-Harris administration, out-of-control immigration and rampant abuse of our asylum system have caused catastrophic damage to people and communities across the country. Here in Maine, that damage has been compounded by state and local policies that harm the interests of our citizens.

Maine is not officially a sanctuary state, but it might as well be.

Beginning in her first year in office, Gov. Janet Mills has done everything in her power to make Maine a magnet for illegal immigrants. In 2019, her administration rewrote the eligibility rules for Maine’s General Assistance voucher to include asylum seekers.

According to the governor, these “vouchers [may be] used to purchase basic items like food, medications, housing and other essential services.” The effect of this rule change was almost immediate. The combined state and local expenditures on GA vouchers jumped from $13 million in 2019 to $43 million in 2023 (even after the impact of the COVID-19 crisis had largely abated).

Equally harmful and irresponsible are policies adopted by local governments across our state.

Perhaps none is more egregious than that of South Portland, a town of about 27,000 residents, where the City Council approved a $1.8 million welfare program, while homeowners have experienced hikes in their property tax bills by as much as 60%. When confronted by elderly homeowners worried that they might not be able to remain in their homes, while the city spends lavishly on migrants, Mayor Misha Pride suggested that they consider reverse mortgages.

While senior citizens are being asked to tap the equity in their homes to pay for state and local policies that encourage immigration to our state, our children are being asked to sacrifice their educations.

In Lewiston, schools that have been overwhelmed by an influx of immigrants have reportedly reached a point where they can neither educate nor ensure the safety of the students. According to Stephanie Poulin, the social worker at the city’s Montello Elementary School, “You have children that are getting no education but are being traumatized every day, and that is disgusting.”

Despite the mounting fiscal and social burdens being imposed on Mainers because of the state’s welcome mat for immigrants, Gov. Mills and other sanctuary politicians remain intent on making these problems worse. The governor has set a goal of welcoming 75,000 new workers to our state by 2029.

President-elect Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, has said he will begin arresting and deporting illegal immigrants on day one of the new administration, and will prioritize the removal of criminals and the 1.4 million people who have already been issued final orders of deportation. Nevertheless, some Maine officials are vowing to resist.

Within days of Trump being declared the winner, the Portland School Board pledged that no district resources would be used “for the purpose of detecting or assisting in the apprehension” of individuals whose “only violation of law” is residing in the U.S. illegally — even though the school system is committing significant resources to the growing number of migrant children, speaking a wide range of languages, who have entered Portland schools over the past few years.

Such policies are not only ill-considered and further sacrifice the interests and security of Mainers, they may also be illegal. The America First Legal Foundation, a group closely aligned with President-elect Trump, has put jurisdictions across Maine on notice that they could face serious consequences for obstructing efforts to enforce immigration laws. The letter warns that it is “a crime to conceal, harbor or shield” immigrants who are being sought by the federal government.

Our commitment to the people of Maine must go beyond pledging to do no further harm. We must endeavor to undo the damage that has already been done. Here in Maine, that begins with repealing policies that obstruct federal immigration enforcement and ending other policies that lavish benefits on illegal immigrants while sticking taxpayers with the bills.

Clarification (Jan. 18, 2025): A previous version of this op-ed mischaracterized an aim of Gov. Mills’ 10-year Economic Strategy, which is to attract 75,000 new workers to Maine between now and 2029.