#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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Step-by-Step #FamilyPreparednessPlan / #PlanDePreparaciónFamiliar: (Guía Completa)
Publication Date Feb 10, 2026
"Every family should have a family preparedness plan in case of an emergency. It is equally critical for immigrant families to think ahead and set more concrete plans for immigration-related emergencies that may arise.
To assist in this, we've created this toolkit that goes into detail about different childcare options available in case of an absent parent, how to find trusted immigration services in your community, and how to prepare to assert your constitutional rights in the presence of an immigration officer."
Read more:
https://www.ilrc.org/resources/step-step-family-preparedness-plan#USPol #ICESucks #NewAmericans #NewMainers #ResourcesForImmigrants #AbolishICE
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This was published in a local #Maine newspaper (and also online). More of this, please...!
Show up for your neighbor: #ClimateCrisis and Inequality at Home
January 30, 2026
By Caitlin Marshall"When we talk about climate change, we can talk about greenhouse gas emissions, CO2 levels, and kilowatts of renewable energy. These are all key metrics that ensure we’re grounded in solid science as we find a better way forward. But we also need to talk about people. The climate crisis has always been about inequality among people.
#ClimateChange Displaces Millions
Globally and locally, those who bear the highest burden of pollution and vulnerability to climate disruption are our #BIPOC neighbors. And one of the threads of that truth is climate migration.
In the coming decades, climate change will displace millions of people worldwide. Most will be from the Global South, whether directly to escape rising seas and polluted land or indirectly when climate instability exacerbates political instability.
We might meet this with worry. Or we can be inspired by a different perspective. As #SinafekeshGirma writes, we can 'move beyond viewing migration as a crisis, recognizing its power to advance resilience, inclusive policies, increased adaptation financing, and community-led solutions.'
#BuildingResilience in Maine
So what does that mean right now? That means pitching in to support our current #MigrantCommunity in Maine. When we see climate change and #RacialInjustice as interlinked problems, we can also see that the solutions are interlinked.
For some ideas on where to start: Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, and Maine Equal Justice.
Showing up for each other today is not only the right thing to do, but it also keeps building our resilience and skills. It prepares us for a future climate-changed world.
Right here in Portland, we are going to keep seeing climate challenges that ask us to help each other in times of need. Practicing now builds the muscle of resilience, of care. It asks us to be creative, and bold. It forces us to look around and see that change has always, always been part of our story.
We can lean into our community spirit, and in the words of Maine Youth for Climate Justice, create a 'livable future where we can all thrive.' "
Source:
https://thewestendnews.com/show-up-for-your-neighbor-climate-crisis-and-inequality-at-home/#SolarPunkSunday #BuildingCommunity #MutualAid #WestEndNews #PortlandME #LivableFuture #NewMainers #MIRC #MIRS #ILAP #MaineEqualJustice #PortlandClimateActionTeam #MaineYouthForClimateJustice
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The Reality Facing #AsylumSeekers in #Maine
Posted By: Nancy English, January 02, 2026
Excerpt:
"Caring City
Portland has proven its support time and time again. The City opened the Portland Exposition Building in 2019 and again in 2023 to help immigrants seeking refuge. Helped by City workers, local nonprofits, and volunteers, many found housing and received work permits. But now, grants and federal support are drying up.
'Things are really stressful and chaotic,' Stein said. 'The rules keep changing all the time. The fees asylum seekers pay have had huge increases.'
As she talked to me, she read a news alert on her phone about a change in the duration of work permits. From December 4th, newly issued work permits will expire after 18 months, instead of the previous five years.
Lives Disrupted
The Immigrant Legal Aid Program (#ILAP) offers immigrants legal support and far more. Lisa Parisio, ILAP’s Policy Director, said, 'People in Maine are having their immigration statuses and protections stripped away, losing access to work permits, and immigration enforcement has dramatically increased.'
Families left without bread winners, possibly without a vehicle or other resources, are trying to get on with their lives.
'Be as prepared as possible,' advised attorney Jenny Beverly, an immigration attorney working at Haven Law in Portland, Maine. 'Give a trusted friend a copy of your complete asylum application, with copies of entry documents, passports, ‘Notice to Appear,’ evidence of filing (a receipt given on acceptance of an asylum application).'
Family will need all that and more simply to find someone detained by federal agents. At the very least, she said, 'Share your alien number, birthplace, birthdate, and your full name.' "
Read more:
https://thewestendnews.com/the-reality-facing-asylum-seekers-in-maine/#USPol #MainePol #SanctuaryCities #PortlandME #NewMainers #SanctuaryCity #WelcomeNewMainers #Refugees #Immigrants #TrumpSucks
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#DemocracyNow - #ImmigrantRights Leader in #Maine Says #ICERaids Caused Panic & “Wave of Fear”
February 03, 2026
"Activists in Maine are resisting #ICE immigration raids in #PortlandME and #LewistonME that the #Trump administration dubbed 'Operation Catch of the Day.' The immigrant community in Maine has grown in recent years, with an influx of #AsylumSeekers and #Somali immigrants in particular. 'As a small state, community means a lot,' says #MufaloChitam, executive director of the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, adding that her organization has received thousands of phone calls to their immigrant support hotline in recent weeks."
Read more / watch / listen:
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/3/portland_maine_city_council_ice_lawsuits#MaineResists #ResistICE #DefundICE #DefundBorderPatrol #MIRC #NewMainers #CatchOfTheDay #ICESucks #ICEOut #ICEOutOfMaine #MaineImmigrantRightsCoalition #ViewerSupportedNews
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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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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
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How are things in #Maine right now? We've got an #ICE problem, and I'm not talking about the weather! Be alert and keep those whistles and phone cameras handy!
Image source: #ProjectReliefME, a #RacialJustice & #ImmigrantAdvocacy Group and #MutualAid group run by volunteers
"SHELTER IN PLACE.
Right now, it is unsafe to be outside, whether walking, driving, or waiting at bus stops.
This message is for the immigrant community. Please stay indoors and limit movement if possible. Our community is not safe at this time.
If you need help, reach out to us. We will get you help."
IG:
https://www.instagram.com/projectreliefme/#ICEOut #ICEOutMaine #ICEOutForGood #MaineImmigrantRights #NewMainers #ICESucks #Authoritarianism #StormTroopers #Immigrants #ShelterInPlace #USPol
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WELCOME TO THE MAINE IMMIGRANT RESOURCE HUB & HOTLINE
January 6, 2026 / By Mufalo
NOTE: This is a working document, undergoing regular updates, translations, and legal review.
Español / Portuguese / French / Arabic / Mandarin / Haitian Creole / (and assistance with other languages)
"If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up for a training using these links: verifier training or operator training. You can also share resource flyers in your neighborhood! Download Maine ICE Watch Hotline multilingual small flyers, large poster, small poster.
- Know Your Rights – All American residents have rights!
- Make Your Plan – Prepare yourself and your family.
- Find Resources – Find organizations and tools near you that offer support.
- Documenting ICE – Send your photos and videos HERE
- Support Detainees – Coordinate support for people detained by ICE.
- Take Action – Get involved! Support Your Community!"FMI:
https://maineimmigrantrights.org/mirc-resource-hub/#MaineImmigrantRights #NewMainers #Maine #USPol #MaineResists #ResistICE #ICEOut #ICEOutForGood
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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
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#Maine - Some #LewistonME elected leaders, community members condemn #Trump's attack on #Somali #immigrants
Maine Public | By Ari Snider
Published December 3, 2025"After President Donald Trump called Somali immigrants quote 'garbage' this week, some in Maine's Somali community fear the rhetoric could spark violence.
"During a cabinet meeting Tuesday, Trump said he doesn't want Somali immigrants to be in the U.S. at all.
"It comes as immigration agents are launching an operation in #Minnesota, reportedly targeting the state's large Somali population.
"In Lewiston, Somali interpreter and nonprofit director Ifraax Saciid-Ciise said the president's attacks are jarring.
" 'I find it very hard to believe that president, who is supposed to represent everybody, all the people in the United States, [would] target a group of very vulnerable population here in America,' Saciid-Ciise said.
"She said many in the community worry Trump's words could incite violence or harassment against Somali residents.
" 'It has created a lot of fear,' she said, because people unfamiliar with the Somali community 'may take his words as real, and as a fact, and they may also target the Somali people.'
"Safiya Khalid, who served as the first Somali-American on the Lewiston city council, said in a social media post that she was quote 'deeply offended and disgusted' by the president's attacks, and called on state and local elected leaders to stand up for their Somali constituents.
"Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline called the president's assertion that Somali immigrants contribute nothing to society 'shameful and inaccurate.'
" 'Here, Somali entrepreneurs are business owners and hard workers, creating jobs and strengthening our local economy,' Sheline said in a written statement on Wednesday. 'Their active role within our City has been instrumental in Lewiston's revitalization, making such rhetoric not only cruel but clearly false. We will continue to celebrate the contributions of all immigrants who help build a better America.'
"In a joint letter on Thursday, Democratic state representatives Mana Abdi, Deqa Dhalac, and Yusuf Yusuf also condemned Trump's statements and efforts to roll back legal protections for some Somali immigrants.
" 'The vast majority of people affected by this administration’s immigration policies are law-abiding individuals who are legitimately working to attain citizenship. Many have called #America their home for decades, raising families, contributing to our economy, and strengthening our communities,' they wrote.
Read more / listen:
https://www.mainepublic.org/immigration/2025-12-03/some-lewiston-elected-leaders-community-members-condemn-trumps-attack-on-somali-immigrants#USPol #NewMainers #SomaliAmericans #ICERaids #ICESucks #CharacteristicsOfFascism
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First Non-Profit #AfricanHalal Pantry In The World.
"Food For All Services is the first ever registered 501c3 immigrant-owned nonprofit African halal pantry located in Portland, Maine. We provide food-insecure new immigrants with a low-barrier, dignified, and respectable solution to access culturally-relevant food. New immigrants are often expected to assimilate into American culture but at FFA we celebrate and appreciate our customers' lived experiences while coming together in a space that is welcoming and people of color focused."
Located in Portland, ME
72 Parris Street
Portland, ME 04101
207-900-9597Hours:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday 10:00am - 6:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00am - 6:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday 09:00 am - 05:00 pm
Sunday - Closedhttps://www.africanmarketmaine.com/
#HalalFood #Maine #FoodPantry #HalalFoodPantry #FoodInsecurity #SNAPCuts #NewMainers
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#Maine - What we can VERIFY about the rights of business owner
#ICE agents need one of two things in order to enter private areas of a business: Permission from an employee, or a warrant from a court.
By Emery Winter
Published: 3:21 PM EST January 28, 2025
Updated: 5:13 PM EST January 29, 2025"In the first days of his second term, President Donald Trump has issued a number of executive orders designed to ramp up immigration arrests. During his campaign, Trump promised to launch a mass deportation effort. Recent #ICERaids have led some people to wonder whether agents can freely enter backrooms, kitchens, offices or other areas of a business not generally open to the public.
"A business has the right to prohibit ICE agents from entering private areas of the business. The exception is if the agents have a judicial warrant signed by a judge, but even those don’t give ICE agents blanket permission to search wherever, whenever and whomever they like.
"Anyone, ICE agents included, can enter public areas of a business without permission, according to the National Immigration Law Center (#NILC). Public areas include anywhere customers are allowed to be, such as the business’s parking lot, lobby or waiting area, or the dining area if the business is a restaurant. That does not include offices, kitchens or other areas usually off limits to customers.
"Being in a business’s public area does not give ICE the authority to stop, question or arrest just anyone, the NILC says. That still requires a warrant or cause.
"There are two types of warrants ICE agents may use when conducting enforcement actions at a business: #AdministrativeWarrants or #JudicialWarrants.
"Oftentimes, ICE agents will have an ICE administrative warrant. Administrative warrants are issued by a federal agency such as the Department of Homeland Security (#DHS) or ICE itself, and will be signed by an immigration officer such as an ICE agent or immigration judge, according to the Project South Institute for the Elimination of Poverty and Genocide."
Read more:
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/verify/immigration/employers-workplace-ice-raid-rights-fact-check/536-b0f053fb-ac49-4680-b414-61c375bdc852
#NewMainers #Immigrants #ImmigrantRights #KnowYourRights #ICEAgents #USPol #MainePol #MaineImmigrantAndRefugeeServices -
Donate! Refugee Resettlement & Newcomer Services
Michael Klahr Jewish Family ServicesAbout Refugee Resettlement
"As a HIAS affiliate network partner, the #JCA welcomes refugees from countries all over the world. We help meet them at the airport, ensure they have housing, and help them find work and the services they need to flourish in their new home in Maine."Our commitment to the needs of refugees comes from many places: from the biblical injunction to "welcome the stranger" to the personal stories of our community members' families who fled persecution to find safety here in Maine. The Refugee Resettlement program operates under the auspices of HIAS, the Global Jewish Organization for Refugees. Reception and Placement services are paid for, in part, through financial assistance provided by the Department of State [which has just been cut off by Herr Drumpf]."
https://www.mainejewish.org/RRNS?fbclid=IwY2xjawIKMi5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcVLb5iR3xaTyuElnqoBqhu37M_5dnYv0plvnIVwMOPUNKoM7lFJgZdFlA_aem_D8qrpgfb8szTewawGoxS-w
#USPol #MainePol #Fundraising #Refugees #RefugeeAid #NewMainers #Immigrants #Fundraiser #USRefugeeAdmissionsProgram -
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 -
#MaineImmigrantAndRefugeeServices
"Your donation to #MEIRS transforms lives, fueling programs that empower individuals and families to prosper and engage actively in our community. Thank you for helping us shape a brighter future. Thank you so much in advance for your donation!"
https://donorbox.org/meirs-donatenow?default_interval=m&amount=25
#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 -
100 years later: When the #KuKluxKlan came to #Maine, locals turned them away
In 1924, the group started marching in #Saco. But when they tried to cross into #Biddeford, they were turned away by Franco and Irish #immigrants.
Author: Don Carrigan
Published: 10:02 PM EDT September 16, 2024SACO, Maine — "Traffic zooms steadily between Saco and Biddeford, crossing the Saco River on the Main Street bridge and the Elm Street bridge on Route 1, farther upstream.
"They are separate cities, with a combined population of about 43,000, and they have a great deal in common.
"But 100 years ago, the cities were split, with strong emotions on both sides of the river. They were divided by ethnicity, social status, and religion.
"And into that divide came the Ku Klux Klan in 1924.
"'I think most people in Maine have no idea of that history,' Biddeford native and former Mayor Alan Casavant said. 'When they think of the Klan, they think of down South, but the Klan was here with different objectives and different targets.'
"Indeed, the Klan was remarkably active in Maine in the mid-1920s, targeting immigrants and #Catholics. The dominant immigrant populations were #FrancoAmericans from Canada and Irish, and both were predominantly #Catholic. The immigrants came to work in the huge #TextileMills, and most lived in #tenements in Biddeford.
"Casavant said that was a big part of the division between the cities. The immigrant and Catholic workers lived in Biddeford. The #MillOwners and managers, whom he said were largely Protestant, lived in Saco.
"At the Saco Museum, director Anatole Brown said the Klan helped to fuel the friction from #economics, as well as cultural and religious differences, and that it gained a significant following around Maine, especially in mill towns.
"'Gov. [Ralph Owen] Brewster of Maine apparently had Klan connections and had mayors around Maine, like Rockland, Portland and Saco, where they had Klan ties.'
"Saco Mayor John Smith supported the Klan, Brown said. And when the Klan said it wanted to stage a rally in the city on Labor Day of 1924, Smith approved.
"'John G. Smith ran as a Klan affiliate and ran on a ticket that he was 100 percent American,' Brown said. 'He promised there would never be any Catholic schools built in Saco.'
"The reports were that the #KKK planned to rally in Saco and then march across the river to Biddeford to directly show their grievances to the immigrant community. That, said Brown, raised the ire of Biddeford residents and that city’s mayor, Edward Drapeau, who vowed to not let the Klan into Biddeford."
#MAGA #SayNoToHateInMaine #NewMainers #ImmigrantsWelcome #NoFascism