Dear MIRC Community,

Welcome to Friday and happy September! 

As summer comes to an end, and you contemplate whether you remember the 21st night of September or if you want to be woken up when September ends; one thing is undeniable: We are entering a new season. Back to school is in full swing, Halloween products have started hitting the shelves, and for your humble narrator — who finds himself out-of-office! — and his friends, FOOTBALL SEASON IS BACK! 

With that, let's get on to the MIRC Advocacy Update:

Well, you can't say I didn't leave you without reading material to head into the weekend with! While we try our best to cover most of the news and stories from our Coalition, I probably missed some. Please feel free to share any highlights I missed, and you may see them featured in the next edition of our updates. 

Before we head off to the weekend, don't forget to be a friend and tell a friend something nice; it could change their life!

Best,

-RT

Ruben Torres

MIRC Advocacy and Policy Manager

The post Advocacy Update first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

The post MIRC's full testimony for the Biddeford Congressional Shadow Hearing first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

PORTLAND, Maine — On August 11, the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition received a report and supporting evidence through the Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline indicating that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained a married couple of African descent outside the Cumberland County Courthouse around 12:10 p.m.

The Hotline has received other reports this year of ICE activity near the Cumberland County Courthouse and Lewiston District Court. Over the past two weeks, MIRC has also received reports of at least five ICE detentions at Portland International Jetport, including the reported detention of a MaineHealth nurse.

Courthouse arrests discourage victims and witnesses from reporting crimes or participating in legal proceedings. They are especially troubling as some federal immigration hearings are being moved forward by months or years, sometimes without sufficient notice. The National Immigration Project warns that missing a hearing or roll call can result in a removal order. Immigrants now face a punishing bind: missing court can lead to removal, while appearing in or around a courthouse may expose them to detention.

Airport enforcement has been expanding; a May 2025 agreement formalized information-sharing between TSA and ICE. Internal data reviewed by Reuters indicated that TSA provided ICE with records concerning more than 31,000 travelers, resulting in more than 800 arrests through February 2026. National reporting describes arrests at check-in counters and boarding gates, including people with work authorization or pending immigration applications.

MIRC calls on state and local officials to protect access to courts and other essential institutions, prevent public resources from being used for federal civil immigration enforcement except where legally required, and allow remote court appearances wherever appropriate and authorized.

People with temporary or uncertain immigration status should consult a qualified immigration attorney before flying. Community members can make a family safety plan and visit the Lighthouse ME Resource Hub for information and resources.

To report suspected immigration-enforcement activity or seek referrals, call the Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline at (207) 544-9989. The Hotline does not provide legal advice.

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The post MIRC Condemns Reported ICE Detentions at Cumberland County Courthouse and Portland Jetport first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Welcome to August! Something exciting to keep on your radar is that a partial solar eclipse will be visible throughout Maine next Wednesday, August 12. In general, expect it to be visible starting at 12:43-12:56 pm and ending at 2:46-2:52 pm. At peak coverage near 1:52 pm, as much as 23.6% of the sun will be blocked by the moon. Make sure to grab your eclipse glasses, as your next opportunity to catch a partial solar eclipse will be in 2045 and a total solar eclipse in 2079. 

For any blueberry fans, the 10th annual Gray Wild Blueberry Festival is today from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and tomorrow from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm at the Henry Pennel Municipal Complex at 24 Main Street in Gray, Maine. Enjoy a day of live music, pies, a bake-off, and more!

With that, let's get on to the MIRC Advocacy Update:

While we try our best to cover most of the news and stories from our Coalition, I might have missed some. Please feel free to share any highlights I missed, and you may see them featured in the next edition of our updates.

Best,

- Erica Jenkins

MIRC Summer Policy and Advocacy Intern

The post Advocacy Update first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

The fatal shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero requires a credible investigation, public accountability, and concrete measures to prevent similar incidents. These demands focus on actions that local, state, and federal officials have the authority to implement.

Local Policy Demands

Local policy has a direct impact on everyday life. Local policy demands must ensure the transparent administration of justice and improve access to local services. 

1. Preserve evidence and document local involvement 

Records should be released when legally permissible. When a record is withheld, the agency should identify the applicable legal exemption and provide a redacted version whenever possible. Every municipal agency possessing information related to the shooting must: 

• Preserve dispatch records, video, photographs, communications, witness statements, and other relevant material.
• Provide that material promptly to the Maine Attorney General.
• Identify which municipal personnel, vehicles, facilities, databases, or other resources participated in or supported the federal operation.
• Publish an after-action summary of the municipality’s involvement once doing so will no longer compromise the investigation.

2. Adopt comprehensive municipal protections

Public Law 2025, Chapter 517 establishes a statewide minimum for law-enforcement agencies beginning July 29, 2026. Municipalities should not treat state compliance as the endpoint; they should adopt enforceable ordinances extending comparable protections across the entire municipal government, as Rockland, Lewiston, Portland, and Waterville have done. It's not enough to have this reflected by internal practices; it needs to also be made into local law. Each municipality should:

• Apply the protections to all municipal employees, departments, contractors, facilities, equipment, funds, and nonpublic data.
• Prohibit voluntary assistance with federal civil immigration enforcement except when required by law or supported by appropriate judicial authority.
• Adopt written procedures and provide recurring staff training.
• Designate an official responsible for implementation and compliance.
• Document and publicly report federal immigration-enforcement requests and municipal responses without disclosing personal information.
• Review the ordinance periodically and strengthen it when state or federal policy changes create new risks.

3. Report federal immigration-enforcement requests

Municipalities should extend comparable protections, within their authority, to municipal offices, shelters, health programs, libraries, and other local services. Municipalities should publish annual, non-personally identifying reports describing:

• The number and type of requests received from ICE or other immigration authorities.
• The municipal agency that received each type of request.
• Whether assistance was provided or denied.
• The personnel, equipment, facilities, or funds used.
• The legal authority relied upon when assistance was provided.

State Policy Demands

While the State of Maine does not control immigration or enforcement policy, State policymakers play an important role upholding the rule of law, protecting local resources from use in federal immigration work, and funding state-based programs to help immigrants resettle successfully in Maine. 

1. Complete a credible investigation with outside expertise

Maine law gives the Attorney General exclusive control over criminal investigations of law-enforcement uses of deadly force. The AG investigation is therefore independent of ICE, but it is not independent of Maine’s established deadly-force review system. To strengthen the current investigation’s credibility, the Attorney General should:

• Retain an outside use-of-force expert and an independent forensic-reconstruction expert with no connection to ICE or the participating Maine agencies.
• Publish the investigation’s scope, methodology, and anticipated timetable.
• Provide Guerrero’s family with a designated liaison and regular updates.
• Examine the officer’s location, line of fire, decision-making, training, personnel history, supervision, and compliance with vehicle-related use-of-force rules.
• Obtain all federal body-camera footage, operational plans, communications, personnel records, and after-action materials.
• Release video and other evidence on a rolling basis when disclosure will not compromise the investigation, using redaction rather than blanket withholding.
• Issue a detailed written report explaining the factual findings and legal analysis.
• Refer or pursue criminal charges only if supported by the evidence and applicable law.

Reporting has consistently found that the AG’s office has not deemed a police shooting legally unjustified since it assumed this responsibility in 1990. That record does not prove that the current investigation will be improper, but it creates a legitimate confidence problem that outside expertise and greater transparency can help address. 

2. Strengthen independent deadly-force review

The existing panel acts only after the AG investigation and cannot conduct a new review of the AG’s legal determination. After the AG completes its investigation, Maine’s Deadly Force Review Panel should promptly review the incident and publish its findings. For future cases, the Legislature should amend Maine law to:

• Allow the panel to evaluate the legal justification for deadly force, rather than restricting it to practices, training, and policy.
• Ensure that a majority of voting members are independent of active law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies.
• Require outside use-of-force and civil-rights expertise.
• Require agencies to respond publicly to panel recommendations.
• Establish enforceable deadlines for final reports and evidence disclosure.
• Require independent review whenever law-enforcement force causes death or serious bodily injury.

3. Fully implement and expand protections for local resources

The state should publish an annual, aggregate report on federal immigration-enforcement requests and governmental responses. Maine should implement Public Law 2025, Chapter 517 through statewide guidance, standardized policies, training, records retention, and compliance monitoring. The law takes effect July 29, 2026. The Legislature should then expand its protections beyond law-enforcement agencies. Except when federal law requires otherwise, state and local agencies should not use personnel, facilities, equipment, nonpublic data, or public funds for federal civil immigration enforcement without appropriate judicial authority. The expansion should cover:

• Jails and prisons.
• Shelters and service providers.
• Courts and municipal offices.
• Benefits, licensing, and public-data systems.
• State contractors operating public programs.

4. Fund community-based rapid response

Grants should have defined eligible uses, competitive selection, financial reporting, and performance measures. The Legislature should establish a recurring—not bond-funded—grant program administered by the Maine Office of New Americans. That office already has statutory authority to partner with municipalities, educational institutions, and community organizations and to support access to legal services.

Eligible activities should include:

• LighthouseME: Immigrant Defense Hub, including Hotline operations and referral system
• Know-your-rights education.
• Legal-observer and incident-documentation training.
• Interpretation and multilingual public information.
• Emergency transportation and family coordination.
• Regional resource navigation.
• Referral to qualified immigration legal services.

Federal policy demands

1. Conduct a separate federal civil-rights investigation

The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and FBI should determine whether the shooting involved excessive force, deprivation of constitutional rights, obstruction, false statements, or other federal offenses. Federal civil-rights law applies to federal officers acting under color of law. The federal investigation should be separate from ICE’s internal review and should:

• Cooperate fully with the Maine Attorney General.
• Preserve and produce all evidence.
• Interview witnesses independently.
• Examine the officer’s hiring, suitability review, training, supervision, and prior conduct.
• Publish findings to the extent permitted by law.
• Refer charges where supported by admissible evidence.

2. Establish enforceable ICE use-of-force standards

ICE already has a body-camera directive; the policy need is universal deployment, enforceable activation rules, auditing, preservation, and appropriate disclosure. Congress should condition ICE enforcement funding on:

• Universal body-camera use during public-facing enforcement operations.
• Timely preservation and review of recordings.
• Timely publication of data
• Clear vehicle agency markings and clear officer identification.
• Narrow, documented exceptions to masking and identification requirements.
• Strict limitations on firing at or from moving vehicles.
• Recurring de-escalation and use-of-force training.
• Comprehensive pre-employment background investigations.
• Recurring suitability reviews for armed personnel.
• Independent investigation of deaths, serious injuries, and firearm discharges.
• Documented supervisory review of every other use of force.
• Mandatory discipline and decertification referrals for sustained violations.
• Penalize or terminate contracts for repeated violations.
• Protection against retaliation for lawful observation, recording, or reporting.

3. Fund a functional immigration system

Congress has already provided DHS and ICE with an extraordinary multiyear enforcement windfall. Those funds cannot remain a blank check for expanded arrests, surveillance, detention, and armed enforcement operations. Congress should rescind, transfer, or reprogram unobligated enforcement and detention funds already appropriated and redirect them toward:

• Immigration judges and court personnel.
• Asylum and refugee officers.
• Interpreters and language access.
• USCIS adjudicators and support personnel.
• Legal-orientation and access-to-counsel programs.
• Expand community-based case-management services for individuals who do not present a public-safety risk.
• Refugee reception and integration.
• Workforce, language-learning, and civic-navigation grants.

4. Restore functional humanitarian pathways

The federal government should:

• Restore stable refugee-resettlement capacity.
• Preserve Temporary Protected Status when country conditions warrant it.
• Remove unnecessary asylum fees and procedural barriers.
• Increase asylum adjudication capacity.
• Establish timely, accessible lawful pathways responding to humanitarian, family, and workforce needs.
• Base humanitarian decisions on statute, evidence, and documented country conditions.
• Provide sufficient language access and understandable application procedures.

Biddeford Shooting Policy Change Strategies

Local Policy Change Strategies

Extraordinary trust requires extraordinary professionalism. We entrust city elected officials and law enforcement with our safety and expect transparency, accountability, and professionalism in return. Our Local policy strategy pushes local leaders to ensure the administration of justice and protect local resources from use in Federal immigration work. 

• Town Councils -
  • Local residents send unique emails requesting constituent meetings with Town Councilors to share personal experience and propose comprehensive municipal protections to the City Council as explained in Local Demands item #2.
• Police Chiefs -
  • Residents send unique emails requesting constituent meetings with the Police Chief, requesting the Police Department support the Town Council in enforcing comprehensive municipal protections as explained in Local Demands item #2..
• County Commissions - 
  • County Residents send unique emails requesting constituent meetings with County Commissioners to share personal experience and demand adopt comprehensive county protections as explained in Local Demands item #2. 

Get help contacting your local elected officials by using this online tool.

State Policy Change Strategies

Immigration policy is a federal matter; however, the state holds the power to regulate how enforcement plays out in our state and the protections of its residents. Our collective work ensures that Maine remains a place where our laws, policies, and institutions protect every person’s dignity and opportunity to thrive; where every resident, regardless of origin, can thrive, contribute, and belong. 

• Maine Legislature (State House Representatives and Senators) 
  • Maine Residents send 1,000 unique emails to their State Senator and/or State House Representative requesting a one-on-one constituent meeting to share their personal experience related to immigration/ ICE and demand: An amendment to Maine law to strengthen an independent deadly-force review panel, fully implement and expand protections for local resources, and fund community-based rapid response.  
  • Maine Residents send 1,000 unique calls to their State Senator and/or State House Representative:
    • expressing concern that the AG’s office has not deemed a police shooting legally unjustified since it assumed this responsibility in 1990, AND 
    • reminding them that when the AG is up for election, the legislature should ask questions regarding transparency and accountability of its investigations into deadly use of force situations to ensure the AG - elect reflects the needs of the people. 
• Maine State Attorney General - 
  • Maine Residents share and sign on to ActionNetwork letter demanding a full and transparent investigation.

Federal Policy Change Strategies

Everyone in Maine deserves the freedom to live in safety and dignity; to work, learn, and care for their families without fear. With ICE being a federal agency, Maine’s congressional delegation can pursue oversight, legislation, and funding conditions that make transparency, accountability, and public-safety protections enforceable.

What Maine’s Congressional Delegation Has Already Done

• All four members asked the DHS Office of Inspector General for a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation, including review of the sequence of events, use-of-force protocols, recordings, evidence preservation, and cooperation with Maine authorities.
• Senators Angus King and Susan Collins also asked the Department of Justice and FBI to cooperate with state and local law enforcement
• Senator King led a Senate letter asking DHS to deploy body-worn cameras, strengthen officer identification, review enforcement and traffic-stop protocols, and work with Congress to codify reforms.
• Senator Collins called for a halt to non-urgent vehicle stops and highlighted enacted funding for body-worn cameras, DHS Inspector General oversight, and de-escalation training.
• Representative Pingree sent detailed follow-up questions about the operation, available recordings, officer vetting, and training, and requested a written response and briefing from DHS.
• Representative Golden supported an independent investigation and called on DHS to prioritize body-camera deployment.

Pressure Power Holders

Contact both U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative. Biddeford and York County residents are in Maine’s 1st District and should contact Representative Pingree. Maine 2nd District residents should contact Representative Golden. Use the House lookup tool if you are unsure. Maine's Senators represent the state as a whole. When contacting federal offices, identify yourself as a constituent. Include your town and ZIP code, explain why this issue matters to you, make one to three specific asks, and request a written response.

Maine Residents make 1,000 phone calls or emails to our congressional delegation to thank them for action already taken, then ask for these next steps:

• Codify ICE safeguards. Require activated body-worn cameras during enforcement; clearly visible ICE identification; de-escalation and use-of-force standards; restrictions on dangerous vehicle stops and pursuits; consistent evidence-preservation rules; independent review; and public reporting after deadly force.
• Use the power of the purse. Condition DHS and ICE funding on compliance with safeguards, training, oversight, and reporting. Do not expand enforcement funding without enforceable accountability and due-process protections.
• Fund a functional immigration system. Increase capacity for timely and fair adjudication at USCIS and the immigration courts, improve notice and access to counsel, and reduce backlogs rather than relying on enforcement alone.
• Restore functional humanitarian pathways. Support legislation and funding that protect access to asylum, refugee resettlement, family reunification, humanitarian parole, and Temporary Protected Status when conditions warrant.

Maine Congressional Delegation Contact Information

The post Biddeford Shooting Policy Demands & Policy Change Strategies first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Join us in a joyful day of friendly competition, honoring and celebrating immigrant culture by bringing people together through the beautiful game of soccer. Funds raised will be shared between Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition and Maine Mobile Health Program.

Saturday, 9am - 5pm, September 5, 2026 at Walsh Field, 128 Lincolnville Ave, Belfast, ME. 

All details below for:

• TEAM REGISTRATION (Teams are now full but players are welcome to come play in the afternoon pickup games from, 2:30-5pm.)
• COMMUNITY SPONSOR SIGN UP
• SPECTATOR TICKETS

Team and Captaincy Guidelines

Team Affinity

We ask that captains recruit a team and select a name for that team that highlights the theme of “cultural roots.” The goal of the tournament is to honor the diverse places and backgrounds we come from. This could be a city, county, state, country, region, continent, clan, tribe, ethnicity, etc. But this could also be represented in other ways, for instance, an affinity based on common livelihoods, music, dance styles, foods. (For example: cheesemakers, accordion players, olive pickers…). The idea is to have fun and showcase the various places and things we identify with, all of which strengthen our communities.

Team Criteria

• Teams should aim for a range of ages (12 and up) and a mix of gender. We are aiming to highlight skills and inclusion. 
• Teams will play 6 outfield players and one goalie, with several subs available. (A team must have at least 7 players at the start of a game in order to compete.) 
• An optimal team will have 1-2 players under 15 years old, 1-2 players over 50, and a mix of genders, with this diversity represented on the field throughout the games.

Captaincy

Each team should have a lead captain as the main point of contact for the tournament. This person is responsible for registering and recruiting their team as well as communicating rules, regulations and game day logistics to their team. The captain will also bottom-line the fundraising for their team. We are grateful for your participation and are looking forward to collaborating with you!

Team Registration

Team registration is a sliding scale. The goal of this tournament is to have fun and raise funds for essential immigrant support groups. No team will be turned away for lack of funds! We’re suggesting a $300 registration fee per team.

The winning team will be offered back their registration fee plus 10% percent of the total from registration fees.

Click here to register your team

We need community partners to make this event a success. Float your business or organization on the rising tide of this mutual aid effort. 

Click Here to Sign Up for Sponsorship (Click "get tickets" for online sponsorship payment option. Contact us for cash or check option.)

We all know that immigrants in Maine are a core part of our community. We know these new Mainers are adaptive to their new homes and also that they face institutional barriers to thriving. With the most popular global game, we will bring our community together to make lives a little easier for our friends and neighbors for whom Maine is their new home. Please join us in raising funds for crucial immigrant support groups: Maine Mobile Health Program and Maine Immigrants’ Right Coalition. 

Sponsorship Levels: 

• Kick-Off: $100, your organization’s name on event website
• Header Goal: $250, your organization mentioned on promotional materials, and promotional table at event.
• Top Bins: $500, your organization mentioned on promotional materials, promotional table at event, shout out at opening and closing ceremonies day of event
• ​Hat Trick: $1000, your organization mentioned by commentator during each game and at opening and closing ceremonies, on promotional materials, and invitation to have a promotional table at event.

Top 3 sponsorship tiers can get their logo on event t-shirts, if submitted by August 17.

Contact us directly if you have any questions: ptsolkas@maineimmigrantrights.org

Strengthening Maine communities by honoring and celebrating immigrant culture. Bringing people together through the beautiful game. Raising funds to support immigrant-led initiatives. 

We all benefit from immigrants being part of our community, our economy and our lives. Let’s extend our gratitude by contributing to this fundraiser for two of Maine’s most critical immigrant support groups: Maine Mobile Health Program and Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition. Your $10 ticket entitles you to a day full of spectating, joy, friendly competition and the novelty of this unique event!

Get your tickets here!

The post Midcoast Solidarity Cup first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

The post BIDDEFORD CRISIS RESPONSE first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

He was a responsible man, a hard worker devoted to his family. He always dreamed big, and he had so many dreams left to fulfill.

He was always happy—and his joy was contagious. He loved to work; he couldn't stand sitting still. 

From the moment we met, we never separated again.

We were always one. 

He was always watching over me so that I never lacked anything; he did everything to see me happy. He always said I was his life, and that he dreamed of a whole lifetime with me—he always told me, “Until we're little old people.” 

He was a man of the smallest thoughtful gestures, devoted to our love.

He always made me feel like a queen. I never wanted for anything; he gave me more than I ever dreamed of. I will never have the words to express what a marvelous, loving man God gave me. 

We shared so many moments, so many adventures, but the dream he held closest was becoming a dad. From the moment he learned he would have a little princess, everything in him changed. He always said that little girl would never lack for anything—and that's how it was. From the moment he held her in his arms and held her tiny hand, he never let go of her. 

He always worked so that his “Gordita,” as he called her, would never go without.

He wanted to be there for every step his Gordita took.

She would always say, “Papi, I want nuggets and fries,” and he always gave her whatever she wanted—he never let his Gordita go without her little cravings. 

They went to the park together every afternoon, and my little girl would come home happy, telling me everything Papá had given her.

I remember he would always look at her and say, “She's getting so big and beautiful,” and the tears would come to his eyes. 

He lived for her. Everything he did, he did in the name of his Gorda. 

He wanted to be a present father—he never wanted his daughter to think Papá wasn't there, or that he was too busy. 

Every morning my daughter would wake up and call out to Papá to tell him she was awake and had slept well.

Every day she waited for Papá to have lunch and play with him for a while. And every night, Papá would come brush her teeth and hold her while she fell asleep. 

A few months ago, we were talking about what she would be like when she was older, and how hard it would hit him when she went to school for the first time.

The three of us dreamed of so many things in our future.  Days before, he bought his Gordita so many things—clothes, toys—and he loved watching how happy she was in them.

The day before, he took her to the park and the two of them had such a happy time.

That Monday afternoon was supposed to be her day with Papá. But he never came home.  And now my daughter asks for Papá, and I don't have the strength to tell her that Papá isn't coming, that she can't hug him anymore or tell him, “Papi, I love you.”  Every night she asks for him. She always slept next to him, and now she can't.  All I have left are the photos, and a blanket with the three of us on it that he gave her a few weeks before. 

My soul is broken. He was everything to me; he never let me worry about anything.

I feel so unprotected. I wish I could run into his arms and hear him say:  “It's okay, mi Flaca, I'm right here.”  I love you, my love.

You will always be the love of my life, until my heart stops beating. 

Watch over me. Help me carry all of this.

Help me care for and protect our daughter. 

Remarks in Spanish

Declaraciones de Martha Karolina Rojas Alvarez, pareja de Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero
[Español]

Era un hombre juicioso, trabajador entregado a su familia. Soñaba siempre en grande y tenía muchos sueños por cumplir.

Siempre estaba feliz, él contagiaba a los demás con su alegría, le gustaba trabajar, no le gustaba estarce quieto.

Desde el momento en que nos conocimos, nunca más nos separamos.

Siempre fuimos uno solo.

Siempre estaba pendiente de mí, que nada me faltara, hacía todo por verme feliz. Siempre decía que yo era su vida y que soñaba toda una vida conmigo; siempre me decía “hasta viejitos.”

Fue un hombre muy detallista, entregado a nuestro amor.

Siempre me hizo sentir como una reina, nunca me hizo falta nada, me brindó más de lo que yo soñaba. Jamás tendré palabras para expresar el hombre tan maravilloso y amoroso que Dios me dio.  Compartimos muchos momentos, muchas aventuras, pero la que más soñaba era ser papá.

Desde el momento en que supo que tendría una princesa, todo en él cambió. Siempre decía que a esa niña nada le faltaría nada, y así fue; desde el momento en que la tuvo en sus brazos y sostuvo su pequeña mano, nunca más la soltó.

Siempre trabajó para que su Gordita, como le decía, nunca le faltara nada.

Siempre quería estar en cada paso que daba su Gordita.

Siempre le decía: “Papi, quiero Nuggets con papas,” y él siempre la complacía en todo, nunca dejaba que su Gordita se quedara con antojos.

Salían juntos todas las tardes al parque, llegaba mi niña feliz a contarme todo lo que papá le dio.

Recuerdo que siempre la miraba y decía: “Está muy grande y hermosa,” y se le salían las lágrimas.

Él vivía por ella. Todo lo que él hacía era en nombre de su Gorda.

Quería ser un padre presente, que su hija nunca pensara que papá no estaba, o que estaba muy ocupado.

Cada mañana mi hija despertaba y llamaba a papá a decirle que ya había despertado y que durmió rico.

Todos los días esperaba a papá para almorzar y jugar un rato con él. Luego, cada noche papá llegaba a cepillarle los dientes y abrazarla para dormir.

Unos meses antes hablábamos de cómo sería de grande y que le daría muy duro cuando esté en el colegio por primera vez.

Soñamos tantas cosas los tres en nuestro futuro.  Días antes le compró muchas cosas a su Gordita: ropa, juguetes, y amaba ver cómo se colocaba feliz.

Un día antes la llevó al parque y pasaron muy felices los dos.

Se suponía que ese lunes en la tarde sería día de estar con papá, pero nunca llegó.  Y ahora mi hija pregunta por papá y no tengo las fuerzas para decirle que papá no vendrá, que ya no lo podrá abrazar ni decirle: “Papi, te amo.”  Cada noche pregunta por él. Siempre dormía junto a él y ahora no lo puede hacer.  Solo me quedan las fotos y una cobija de los tres que le había regalado unas semanas antes.

Tengo el alma rota. Él era todo para mí, nunca dejaba que me preocupara por nada.

Me siento tan desprotegida. Quisiera salir corriendo a los brazos de él y me dijera: “Tranquila, mi flaca, acá estoy.”  Te amo, mi amor.

Siempre serás el amor de mi vida hasta que mi corazón deje de latir.

Cuídame, ayúdame a sobrellevar todo.

Ayúdame a cuidar y proteger a nuestra hija.

The post Remarks from Martha Karolina Rojas Alvarez, partner of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

For Immediate Release, July 15, 2026

Contacts:

Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director, MIRC
Crystal Cron, Executive Director, Presente! Maine
Hamdia Ahmed, Executive Director, Project Relief ME

Portland, ME — The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, Presente! Maine, and Project Relief are saddened. For the third time this week, ICE is directly involved in the death of a neighbor. We are exhausted as we again mourn a preventable, senseless, and all too predictable death. A family and the community in St Augustine, Florida, are experiencing the trauma that Biddeford, Houston, Minneapolis, and communities across America know all too well. 

“It is another devastating day for our community,” said Presente! Executive Director Crystal Cron. “Even as we are reeling from the murder of our brother Johan, we learn of another preventable tragedy. Another death by state violence. Another family grieving a loss that should never have happened. ICE must be abolished. There is no 'reform' or 'retraining' sufficient, no betterment possible for this heinous institution.”

“Everyone deserves to return home safely to the people who love them,” said Project Relief ME Executive Director Hamdia Ahmed. “Instead, families are forced to live with the fear that an encounter with ICE could end in detention, injury, or death. We hold this man’s loved ones and the St. Augustine community in our hearts. We cannot allow this fear and loss to become normal.”

“Our communities are in mourning,” said MIRC Executive Director Mufalo Chitam. “Three deaths in one week cannot be dismissed as isolated tragedies. They reflect the human cost of an immigration enforcement system operating without transparency or accountability. But, mourning cannot be our only response. Our elected officials must act before another family is forced to endure this avoidable grief.”

The moment once again calls for an independent investigation. ICE must not be allowed to investigate itself or control the public narrative surrounding a death in which its personnel or operations were involved. We also call on elected officials to invest in a fair, functional, and humane immigration system, not further expansion of 

immigration enforcement, and to strengthen protections that prevent local resources from being diverted toward federal immigration enforcement.

While information continues to develop, we strongly encourage community members to exercise caution and care for their neighbors and themselves. We will continue supporting impacted community members, demanding answers, and sharing verified information as it becomes available.

The post Maine’s Immigrant Community Responds to ICE Involved Death in St. Augustine, Florida first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Photos from statement released by his friends and family is in this GoFundMe link

Contacts:

Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director, MIRC, mufaloc@maineimmigrantrights.org,

Crystal Cron, Executive Director, Presente! Maine, ccron@presentemaine.org,

Biddeford, ME — The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine are devastated and outraged by the death of a 25-year-old Colombian father, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, during a shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Biddeford on the morning of July 13, 2026.

As of July 14, the only statement released by his immediate family is in this GoFundMe link.

Presente! confirmed that the young man was authorized to work in the United States and had been issued a Social Security number. He was a member of our community, a neighbor, and a human being whose life was cut tragically short. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones, and everyone now grieving this unimaginable loss.

A 26-year-old man came to Maine to live and work, and now his family is mourning his death following an incident involving ICE. This is devastating, enraging, and unacceptable. His loved ones deserve answers, and the public deserves a full and transparent account of what happened.

The shooting itself was not reported through MIRC’s Immigrant Defense Hotline. However, calls received in the immediate aftermath reported additional ICE activity elsewhere in the area. It is deeply disturbing that immigration enforcement activity appeared to continue even as authorities responded to a fatal incident involving the agency. At a moment when a person had just lost his life, and an investigation had barely begun, members of our community were still reporting ICE activity and fearing that others could be detained or harmed.

“Our community is taking immediate action to protect and care for this family that has been shattered by state violence," said Presente Executive Director Crystal Cron. “To say we are heartbroken does not convey the depth of the exhaustion, terror, or grief we are feeling. We will not let this death be reduced to a footnote in this administration’s enforcement statistics. There is no freedom until everyone is free.

“Our communities are hurting…” said MIRC Executive Director Mufalo Chitam. “Today, a 26-year-old member of our community is dead following an incident involving ICE. We are grieving, we are furious, and we will not allow his death to be treated as routine or inevitable. How much more harm must our communities endure before those with the power to act acknowledge that this has gone too far?”

State and federal authorities are investigating, and many critical facts have not yet been publicly established. MIRC calls for a prompt, independent, and transparent investigation; a full accounting of every agency and officer involved; the preservation of all body-camera footage, surveillance footage, communications, and other evidence; and the timely public release of findings consistent with the dignity and privacy of the victim and his family.

ICE must not be allowed to investigate itself or control the public narrative surrounding a death in which its personnel or operations were involved. We also call on our elected officials to invest in a fair, functional, and humane immigration system, not further expansion of immigration enforcement, and to strengthen protections that prevent local resources from being diverted toward federal immigration enforcement.

While information continues to develop, we strongly encourage community members to exercise caution, avoid active law-enforcement areas, and contact MIRC’s Immigrant Defense Hotline. We also ask the public not to circulate unverified claims that could create further fear or interfere with efforts to establish what happened.

People across Maine have already endured escalating detentions, aggressive enforcement activity, and the fear of being taken from their homes, workplaces, and families. Today, that escalation has ended in the loss of a young life.

MIRC stands with the victim’s family, Biddeford residents, our coalition members, and every community affected by immigration enforcement. We will continue supporting impacted community members, demanding answers, and sharing verified information as it becomes available.

The post Maine’s Immigrant Community Responds to ICE Shooting in Biddeford first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.