ICE Detained Cumberland County Corrections Officer
Federal authorities took a noncitizen officer into custody following a review of hiring practices.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Immigration
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained Dannick Massamba-Bankela, a Cumberland County corrections officer, on September 23, 2026. He is among five noncitizen officers detained by federal authorities in the county since April 2025.
Why it matters
The detentions follow a period where Cumberland County hired over 20 immigrants as corrections officers to address severe staffing shortages after the state removed language test requirements for the role.
Cumberland County has detained 5 noncitizen corrections officers since April 2025, a fraction of the 20 immigrant officers hired in 2024. County policy requires applicants to be authorized to work in the U.S. but does not mandate citizenship screening.
The players
Dannick Massamba-Bankela
He is a Cumberland County corrections officer who was recently taken into custody by federal immigration authorities.
Kevin Joyce
He has served as the Sheriff of Cumberland County since 2010 and oversees the department's hiring policies.
Maine Criminal Justice Academy
This state institution is responsible for establishing the standards and testing requirements for law enforcement personnel.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
This federal agency is responsible for enforcing immigration laws and managing the detention of foreign nationals.
The details
Although the county mandates that applicants possess authorization to work for any employer in the U.S., it does not specifically verify the citizenship status of potential hires. The hiring of these officers accelerated after the Maine Criminal Justice Academy eliminated English reading and writing testing requirements in 2024.
Timeline
Sheriff Kevin Joyce has held his position since 2010.
The Maine Criminal Justice Academy dropped language test requirements in 2024.
ICE began detaining noncitizen corrections officers in April 2025.
Dannick Massamba-Bankela was detained by ICE on September 23, 2026.
Political Context
Opponents of the county's hiring policy argue that public safety roles require strict citizenship verification regardless of labor shortages. Conversely, some local officials maintain that the policy fills critical gaps in jail staffing that were previously impossible to address.
Taxpayers in Cumberland County may face ongoing staffing disruptions at the jail as the federal investigation into officer eligibility continues. Residents may see changes in future hiring policies if the county moves to implement stricter citizenship verification requirements.
The takeaway
The situation highlights the tension between local labor needs and federal immigration enforcement policies in public service roles. Policymakers face the challenge of balancing staffing requirements with the complex regulatory landscape of hiring noncitizens.
Further reading
For additional context on statewide immigration trends, visit Maine Immigration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TheBlaze.
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