U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) has announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ceased its "enhanced" operation in Maine.

According to a statement from Collins' office, this comes after "several direct communications" between Collins and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

"While the Department of Homeland Security does not confirm law enforcement operations, I can report that Secretary Noem has informed me that ICE has ended its enhanced activities in the State of Maine,” said Collins. “There are currently no ongoing or planned large-scale ICE operations here.”

The change comes as the Trump administration is facing backlash over the killings of two citizens by immigration agents in Minnesota, where a larger operation has been underway.

The reaction to the killing of Alex Pretti, a nurse who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital in that state, has led to a shakeup in leadership in charge of the immigration crackdown there.

In response to the Collins' announcement, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, said in a statement that she cannot independently confirm the information because federal immigration officials have not responded to any of her requests for details about the operation in Maine. And she said even if the current surge is over, immigration enforcement has been dramatically changed by the Trump administration.

"The standard now appears to be broad, aggressive detentions and removals that do not distinguish between people who are here lawfully, and people who are awaiting decisions on pending cases or have another valid status," she said.

The controversy over ICE’s methods has led to a call by some Democrats in Washington to de-fund the Department of Homeland Security, leading to fears of another federal government shutdown.

“I hate shutdowns, and I'm one of the people that helped negotiate the solution to … end of the last shutdown – but I can't vote for a bill that includes DHS funding under these circumstances,” Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, said in a recent appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

King has advocating separating DHS funding from other appropriations bills to avoid a shutdown.

Portland Mayor Mark Dion on Thursday thanked residents for speaking out against ICE. He cautioned, however, that today's announcement does not mean ICE has left the city entirely, and encouraged continued vigilance.

"Even if it is true that ICE will no longer be conducting a major operation here, it does not make up for the damage already done –– the constitutional rights that were violated, the families torn apart, and the many questions that remain unanswered," Dion said. "This will continue to have lasting effects for many of our residents."

Luis Arroyo, a Puerto Rican national who owns Bay Bowls, a Brazilian take-out restaurant on Washington Avenue, has spoken out against ICE in the past. In response to today's announcement, he said, "It's good that hopefully that's ended."

ICE announced that it had begun stepping up immigration enforcement in Maine in an effort to catch the “worst of the worst,” according to homeland security, in an operation called “Catch of the Day.”

The department said that it was looking to arrest or detain 1,400 individuals.

However, as of Jan. 28, only about 200 were arrested, according to information that came to light in a meeting of Maine mayors, Gov. Janet Mills and other high-ranking state officials.

The advocacy group Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition has a hotline to report ICE operations in the state. The group released a report today indicating that in the past week it received more than 4,200 phone calls. The calls reported 529 sightings statewide, with 168 in Portland and 24 in Lewiston. 

ICE operations were conducted in several southern Maine communities, including Portland, Westbrook, Biddeford and Lewiston.

The operation caused anxiety in Maine's immigrant population, especially in Portland and Lewiston, which have communities of Somali immigrants.

It also drew sharp condemnation from state Democrats and led to protests throughout Maine.

Mills said that although the operation has ended, the state is still experiencing trauma, including “mothers who have been separated from their children.”

Mills is also looking for the federal government to account for those who have been taken during the operation.

“We still do not know critical details about the 200 individuals ICE says it has detained, many of whom appear to be here legally, who have no criminal record and who are not ‘the worst of the worst,’” Mills said. “The people of Maine deserve to know the identities of every person taken from here, the legal justification for doing so, where they are being held, and what the Federal government’s plan for them are.”

“The claim that they are deporting the worst of the worst just doesn’t add up,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline wrote in an online post Wednesday. “From moms and dads to civil engineers to students to correction officer recruits, they are deporting our neighbors, family members, and employees.”

On Thursday, Sheline said it's "welcome news" that ICE is pulling out of Maine. He thanked community members who helped those who were worried they were being targeted by ICE.

"While the ICE surge may be over, they've been operating in our community for the past year," Sheline said in a statement. "We need to remain vigilant, continue to check on our neighbors, and take common sense steps to keep ourselves safe."

Anti-ICE demonstrators had been arrested in Portland last week outside a hotel, and on Wednesday at Collins’ Portland office, where protesters from different religious faiths demanded a meet with the senator.

Maine Republicans have repeatedly warned people not to interfere with ICE operatives.

“While Maine Dems screech and freak out at immigration enforcement in Maine, trying to obstruct immigration enforcement to protect those who would be taken into custody, it's important to note that all that is happening is dangerous criminal illegal immigrants are being taken off Maine streets, leaving Maine safer,” the Maine GOP stated on Jan. 21. “We stand with our Maine communities and all law enforcement, including ICE, for a safer Maine.”

DHS has not disclosed the exact number of people it has detained. However, in the early days of the operation, DHS announced that it had arrested dozens of people who had been charged with various crimes, ranging from assault to operating under the influence.

Collins said she had been urging Noem and the Trump administration to "reconsider its approach to immigration enforcement in the state.”

It appears that immigration enforcement in Maine will return to what it had been prior, according to Collins.

“ICE and Customs and Border Patrol will continue their normal operations that have been ongoing here for many years,” Collins said. “I will continue to work with the Secretary on efforts to end illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and other transnational criminal activity.”

With reporting by Susan Cover and Sean Murphy of Spectrum News.