Maine has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice that alleges the state is illegally denying federal immigration officers access to confidential license plates. The lawsuit alleges that by denying federal officers access to confidential plates for federal civil immigration enforcement, the state is discriminating against the government and attempting to regulate its operations. Maine has allowed officers to obtain confidential plates for more than 10 years, according to the state’s filings. He told Shumate that Maine had approved 48 requests for confidential plates for federal officers, from eight federal agencies, between January and May 2026. They argued that Maine had a right to regulate its state-run program for confidential plates.