The town’s police chief, Elise Chard, said recent public remarks Homeland Security officials criticizing her department “appears to be an attempt to shift the blame onto a hard-working local law enforcement agency that has done its job.

ICE accused the police department in Old Orchard Beach of “knowingly” hiring an immigrant who is in the country illegally, which the police chief denied.

The agency is promising up to $50,000 in signing bonuses, the potential for lots of overtime for deportation officers and other benefits such as loan repayment or forgiveness options. All of this is made possible by a big infusion of money to ICE.