Bangor’s city council this week voted down another measure aimed at preventing city employees from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. 

Among other provisions, Councilor Joseph Leonard’s proposal would have limited information employees could share with federal agents and prohibit employees from detaining people for the purpose of immigration enforcement. 

During the heated debate, some members of the public accused Leonard of putting his political beliefs regarding ICE ahead of the city’s welfare.  

“This is a criminal organization, but I don’t expect our rapist, pedofile fascist president to take any consideration of this whatsoever,” Leonard said in explaining his views on the proposal.

Councilor Carolyn Fish left the meeting in protest of Leonard’s accusations and did not return.

Leonard was censured three times last year by the council, including one instance in October in which he made an obscene gesture via Zoom to a speaker who ended pro-ICE remarks by saying “white f—ing power.”

The council in March had already voted to comply with a new state law restricting cooperation with federal officials undertaking immigration enforcement operations.