#newmainers — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #newmainers, aggregated by home.social.
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How soon people forget...
A century ago, #FrancoAmericans were targeted in #Maine like today’s #Somali #immigrants
Opinion by Tommy Pinette, March 3, 2026
"Two years ago, I learned the infamous #KuKluxKlan exploded in popularity throughout Maine during its resurgence in the 1920s. Across the United States, the terrorist group amassed hundreds of thousands of new followers in a rather clever dissemblance as a community service and fraternal organization. At one point, in fact, approximately 30% of Maine’s native-born population were enrolled members of the KKK. Yet they did not target Somali-Americans, people on work visas, or permanent residents from Africa — they vehemently attacked the people we now call Franco-Americans.
"Prominent Franco communities in #LewistonME, #RumfordME, #OldTownME, #AugustaME, and #WatervilleME, called 'petits Canadas,' became targets of violence for the #KKK.
"One local history of the Franco-American community of Old Town recounts a horrific stand-off at French Island: holding torches and weapons, a mob of angry klansmen attempted to cross the bridge onto the island in order to burn it down. Only the rapid efforts of men in the community to block the bridge physically kept the island from going up in flames.
"And yet, I hear many of my Franco relatives talk poorly about immigrants. They repeat similar slogans to the ones President Donald Trump spreads about immigrants who come from Africa, particularly those from East Africa: “they shouldn’t be here … Somalia is not even a country” Animus defines how many Franco-Americans understand immigrants, the people who stand in the very same place their ancestors once stood a couple generations ago.
"Do not forget that our #WhitePrivilege came at a great historical cost in the forms of systemic French language suppression, decades of shameful stereotypes, and barriers to higher education. For almost 70 years, the state of Maine had a legislative policy of only offering public education in English. We must remember our ancestors, the memères and pepères who endured the same xenophobic insults immigrants in America face today."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/83Hi6#USPol #WorldPol #MainePol #NewAmericans #NewMainers #USHistory #MaineHistory #ICESucks #AbolishICE #Hypocrisy
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#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
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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