#newmainers — Public Fediverse posts

#Maine communities, businesses grapple with the fallout of #ICE surge

by Ari Snider, Maine Public
January 22, 2026

"On a residential street in Portland's Parkside neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, several residents honked car horns and blew #whistles and #airhorns as several ICE agents get into unmarked vehicles and pull off down the block.

"It was unclear if the agents had arrested anyone.

"A woman who gave her name only as Olivia said she lives nearby, and responded when she heard that ICE agents were in the area.

" 'Came out, walked around, found them. There are a lot of other folks out here with whistles and bull horns trying to alert folks,' she said.

"Olivia said she witnessed an immigration arrest earlier that day just up the block."

Read more:
https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/01/22/maine-communities-businesses-ice-surge

#ICEOut #ICESucks #ICEOUTMaine #WeProtectOurselves #MutualAid #ImmigrantsWelcome #NewMainers #FuckICE #ICESurge

Damn! If I had gone into the office today instead of yesterday, I would have encountered this scene (in #PortlandME)! WTF! And a USM student was grabbed at the Market Basket grocery store in nearby #WestbrookME!

via #ProjectReliefME

#ICEOut #ICEOutMaine #ICEOutForGood #MaineImmigrantRights #NewMainers #ICESucks #Authoritarianism #StormTroopers #Immigrants #ShelterInPlace #USPol

Gotta love #MaineDSA! Putting out quality information for #Mainers protecting #NewMainers (and everyone else)!

Did you see ICE?

Here's what to do next - a comradely reminder from your local Maine DSA chapter.

The Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition. and other community partners have set up a hotine to report potential CE sightings. Please use the SALUTE method when reporting ICE to the hotine, Unconfirmed sightings create panic and confusion. please save the number to your phone, or take a tab with the number to keep handy.

Size: How many agents/vehicles?
Activity: What are they doing?
Location: Where exactly is this happening? (exact address if possible)
Unit: what agency? (ICE, CBP. etc)
Time: When did you see this?
Equipment: Vehicle descriptions, clothing, badges, etc.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: All people living in the United States have rights regardless of your citizenship. Take a moment to learn about YOUR personal rights You shod learn about your rights beforehand so you can exercise them when needed:

Read about your rights: maineimmigrantrights.org/mirc-resource-hub/

This hotline needs volunteers! You can find the sign up link fo get trained and
become a volunteer at maineimmigrantrights.org/mirc-resource-hub/

Hotline number: (207) 544-9989.

#WeKeepUsSafe #MaineResists #ResistICE #SALUTE #KYR #KnowYourRights

I'll be making a donation in memory of #JudithSouthworth -- my former boss, and a tireless advocate for #MaineRefugees and #CatholicCharities coordinator.

Donate

There are many ways you can support our work with refugees:

Financial Contribution

- Donate online (Please be sure to designate your donation to Refugee and Immigration Services)
- Checks may be mailed to Catholic Charities Maine Central Office at PO Box 10660, Portland, ME 04104-6060, with Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS) noted in the Check’s memo line.

Gift Cards

New Mainers are delighted to receive gift cards so they can choose exactly what they need. Grocery stores, Walmart, Target, Reny's, Mardens, and Marshalls/TJMaxx carry much of what is needed.

If you or someone you know would like to rent to a refugee, we will help make it work! We’ll help families understand their lease and what you expect of them. We’ll help you communicate and get to know each other. We’re always looking to expand our network of immigrant-friendly landlords & housing partners. We need creative and affordable temporary & permanent housing solutions for refugees. Please help us provide their first home in the US.

https://www.ccmaine.org/refugee-immigration-services/support/donate
#CatholicCharitiesMaine #USPol #MainePol #Fundraising #Refugees #RefugeeAid #NewMainers #Immigrants #Fundraiser #USRefugeeAdmissionsProgram

[Thread] [Links for ways to donate in thread] #MaineRefugee agencies scramble to preserve basic services after State Department cuts off funding

Maine Public | By Ari Snider
Published January 29, 2025

"Days after suspending the federal refugee admissions program, the Trump administration issued a second directive ordering resettlement agencies to stop providing basic assistance to refugees already in the country. Though much remains uncertain, it's already disrupted services in Maine.

"Typically, the federal government reimburses resettlement agencies up to $1,650 for certain expenses related to housing, food, and other basic needs during the first 90 days after a refugee arrives, plus $1,350 per refugee for administrative costs and staff positions.

"But #InzaOuattara, Maine's refugee coordinator through #CatholicCharities, said the State Department advised last week that it will no longer cover those costs.

"Ouattara said that could have immediate consequences for about 200 newly-arrived refugees in Maine.

"'They are all in temporary housing and hotels,' Outtara said. 'Where are these small refugees agency that we have in Maine to get the money to pay for those hotels?'

"Outtara said this directive is separate from the Trump Administration's now-rescinded memo ordering a widespread freeze on government grants and loans.

"Following the State Department's directive, #RilwanOsman, executive director of #MaineImmigrantAndRefugeeServices, in #LewistonMaine, said he's already had to lay off about half a dozen employees.

"But he said his group will not abandon the roughly 100 refugees in its care.

"'The support might be limited, but again, as an organization, as a human being, we have that moral obligation to continue supporting these families, despite the challenges,' he said.

"Osman said he's hoping to raise some emergency stopgap funding through an appeal to the local community.

"The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine is also scrambling to find new funding streams, said Micaela Tepler, with the group's resettlement team.

"She said that's led to temporary delays in delivering basic needs such as groceries.

"'So even if they're going to get the same services from a different funding, it's going to take a week or two until we're really effective at providing that,' Tepler said. 'So for clients, there is a real pause, and I think this week has been really, really scary and difficult for them.'

"The #USRefugeeAdmissionsProgram is a decades-old legal pathway for individuals fleeing violence and persecution. Refugees admitted through the program are vetted by various federal agencies before being assigned to state-level resettlement agencies."

https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2025-01-29/maine-refugee-agencies-scramble-to-preserve-basic-services-after-state-department-cuts-off-funding
#MainePublic #NPR #News #USPol #MainePol #Fundraising #Refugees #RefugeeAid #NewMainers #Immigrants