Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition

MIRC News & Action #9

Mufalo — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:43:35 +0000

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The post MIRC News & Action #9 first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Advocacy Update

Mufalo — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:56:36 +0000

Dear MIRC Community,

Happy Friday!

Since the last time you read an advocacy update, humanity has done something truly amazing. On April 6th at 1:57 ET, the four astronauts onboard the Artemis II flew past the 252,752-mile mark from Earth, surpassing the Apollo 13 crew’s 1970 flight by about 4,102 miles. The crew then proceeded to complete a flyby of the moon, reaching a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth. Even more impressive and a testament to the science behind the moon launch, Katherine Johnson’s, an African American mathematician and American human computer, was critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights, and led to the Artemis crew landing at EXACTLY 8:07 PM ET.

With that bit of mind-blowing, let’s get on to the MIRC Advocacy Update:

Local

FYI: Most city and town halls and buildings will be closed on Monday, April 20, in observance of Patriots’ Day.

The Portland City Council had a busy agenda on Monday, from first reads to a proposed budget. You can catch up on what happened here.

Speaking of! The Portland school board approved its $179.3 million budget for 2026-27 Tuesday night after restoring several positions that had been cut under previous iterations.

For nearly seven months, a Houlton man has been trying to get public documents from town officials related to a 2022 surveillance camera purchase that he said may have violated federal funding guidelines. The Verkada cameras, equipped with facial recognition technology, were purchased in 2022 using $143,227.58 in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Harriman is seeking all 2021 correspondence related to the prepurchase planning of the surveillance system to show who knew about the technology and who made the purchase decision.

Absentee voting for the Annual Town Meeting Candidate Election of Mount Desert Island will be conducted at the Town Office in Northeast Harbor. The Annual Town Meeting will commence on May 4, 2026, with the election of officers, followed by the open floor meeting on May 5, 2026. The Town Clerk will conduct absentee voting for the Annual Town Meeting Candidate Election at the town office located at 21 Sea Street, Northeast Harbor, during office hours (M-F 9:00 am to 4:30 pm).

From our friends at Maine Women’s Lobby: Mark your calendars! May 1 from 4 pm-6 pm is a PFML Launch Celebration in Portland and Bangor! Our coalition partners at AARP Maine and the Maine Women’s Lobby are planning a fun event to highlight our coalition members and the exciting start to Maine’s PFML program. Both locations will have tabling space for coalition partners to share resources, information, and interactive activities to celebrate and highlight all the ways a person can interact with PFML. Reach out to Catie (catie@mainewomen.org) AND Bridget (bquinn@aarp.org) to sign up your organization to table at the events in Portland or Bangor. We are limited on table space so please reach out as soon as possible.

The Portland Police Department, in partnership with the Portland Public Library, will host “Coffee with a Cop” on the first Tuesday of May and June from 10:15–11:00 AM at the Library’s downtown branch. “Coffee with a Cop” brings officers and community members together, over coffee, to talk, ask questions, and get to know one another in an informal setting. For more information, please contact Jennifer Rogers at jrogers@portlandmaine.gov.

From our friends at Catholic Charities: Please join Catholic Charities Maine and me when the People of Hope mobile museum arrives in Portland! Visitors will interact with multiple exhibits to get the facts about poverty here in Maine and see how agencies across the nation bring hope to their neighborhoods. It’s a FREE, immersive museum experience open to all — all inside a 53-foot semi-tractor trailer! Stop by anytime during the two days and let me know your plans so that I can try to meet you there. WHEN: Friday April 24th – 11 am – 6pm ; Saturday, April 25th – 10am – 4pm WHERE: Catholic Charities Maine, 307 Congress Street, in the parking lot

State

Busy time at the state house, but there’s still lots that could happen between now and April 29, or what is referred to as “veto day.”The supplemental budget was sent to the House and Senate for a vote and signed by the governorLD 2176, 2106 passedLD 2058 was signed by the governorA 2% millionaire tax was enacted$300 checks were approvedA number of our members and partners showed up at different hearings and tabling events in the last couple of weeks of the sessionRead a recap from the Portland Press Herald

A research project is being conducted by Johanna Bard Richlin, a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Maine. The purpose of the research is to learn how diverse communities feel about healthcare and medical technologies in the United States, including existing and novel vaccines. The study will also consider how the COVID-19 pandemic generated new social movements and collectives. The survey should take you about 15 minutes to participate. Except for your time and inconvenience, there are no risks to you from participating in this study. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer. If you have any questions about this study, please contact me at johanna.richlin@maine.edu

Through our work with Mainers for Tax Fairness, we were able to raise awareness on immigrant contributions to our tax system. Check out the press statement and all the posts from members here:Maine Center for Economic Policy: FB | IG | TikTok (also this op ed)Full Plates Full Potential: FB | IGMaine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition: FB | IGMaine Equal Justice: FB | IGMaine Women’s Lobby: FB | IGMaine Council On Aging: FBLeague of Women Voters of Maine: FB | IGDemocracy Maine: FB | IGMaine People’s Alliance: FB | IGOxfam: FB | IG | TikTok

Federal

Maine Morning Star did an explainer on the impacts of the SAVE America Act on voter registration. As Congress weighs the SAVE America Act and similar bills like it, it’s important that people know the impacts of these bills and how to share their voices with their congressional delegation. We have put together an easy way for you to reach out to our Senators!

The New York Times took a look at how immigration enforcement strategy has shifted in the last few months, noting that while gone for now are the concentrated surges into American cities and mass raids of Home Depot parking lots. Immigration enforcement officials continue to deport nearly 1,000 people a day, many of them with no criminal record. The new strategy seeks to apply pressure at every point of contact between immigrants and the government, using the country’s vast bureaucracy, but it largely relies on fear.

As of March 1st, a new policy from the Small Business Administration went into effect. The new policy guidance requires 100% of all owners of a small business applying for the agency’s primary 7(a) loan program to be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals with their principal residences within the U.S. As a result, legal permanent residents would not be eligible for SBA loans.

The White House is urging Republican-led states to crack down on immigration by reporting undocumented immigrants who enroll in schools, visit hospitals, or apply for any kind of benefits; Tennessee is being cited as a model.

In a bipartisan 219-209 vote on 04/15, the House moved forward on legislation that would extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in the U.S. Votes are expected to take place on the rule and bill itself on the House floor on Thursday.

“[T]his feels like the biggest reorienting of federal resources toward a single end since 9/11,” said Theresa Brown, a former DHS official, regarding the administration’s diversion of funding “largely related to national security” to immigration enforcement instead

ICE published new detention data in early April for the first time since February, ending a 56-day gap during which the agency didn’t publish any new data. The new release covers data through April 4, 2026, and includes the first look at deportation and detention figures covering most of the winter. A breakdown of some of the key numbers, starting with deportations and working down to the specifics of who is being booked into detention and by which agency, can be found here

The Trump administration has cut legal immigration far more than illegal immigration, reports the Cato Institute. The cuts “are harming U.S. citizens seeking to reunite with their spouses, fiancés, children, and other relatives,” Bier writes. “They are also undermining U.S. prosperity and increasing the U.S. deficit.”

From our friends at Protecting Immigrant Families: our new poll has some really interesting findings that may be helpful in your work. All the details in our release, but there’s broad bipartisan support for safety net access for lawfully present immigrants, concern (especially among Democrats) about ICE enforcement at schools, hospitals, and social services providers, and real concern that enforcement is harming US citizens in immigrant families.

Data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shows that 2025 began with a high number of citizenship applications submitted and decided favorably. By the end of 2025, far fewer were applying, with yet fewer approvals.

According to new data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University, only 2% of all Notices To Appear (NTA) filed by the Department of Homeland Security during February 2026 were sought on the basis of alleged criminal activity. TRAC said the data emphasize that the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has largely not been focused on “the worst of the worst,” like the president originally campaigned on.

Internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data obtained by Reuters revealed on April 7 that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) shared the records of more than 31,000 travelers with ICE from the start of the Trump administration through February 2026, leading to the arrest of more than 800 people.

Well, you can’t say I didnt 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, I’ll leave you with this moment of reflection. The farthest humans have ever travelled was also where they cried and hugged over a lost one (the crew named the Integrity crater after one of the astronauts’ deceased wives). Humanity has gone further than we have in history, and we chose to go to the moon and name the brightest spot we could find after someone who was loved. We are small in terms of the universe, but when we go, we go with love.

Best,

Ruben Torres

Advocacy and Policy Manager

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

It’s Tax Day. We pay our share.

Mufalo — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:47:19 +0000

The post It’s Tax Day. We pay our share. first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

MIRC News & Action #8

Mufalo — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:26:24 +0000

Read the full newsletter here.

The post MIRC News & Action #8 first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

WELCOME TO THE MAINE IMMIGRANT RESOURCE HUB & HOTLINE

Mufalo — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:13:00 +0000

NOTE: This is a working document, undergoing regular updates, translations, and legal review. A plain text version of this page can be found here.

Click or scan to donate

REACH THE HOTLINE BY CLICKING THE LIGHTHOUSE ABOVE OR DIALING (207) 544-9989.

Sign up for a training to join our team of volunteer operators.

The full Resource Hub is currently available in Español & Portuguese. Find legal resources in: French / Arabic / Mandarin / Haitian Creole / ASL / Bengali / Hindi / Khmer / Korean / Laos / Tagalog / Telugu / Viet. Click here for translation assistance with other languages.

You can 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!
Know Your Status – Stay up to date on your immigration status.
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!

Other ICE Watch hotlines across New England ⬇️

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

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

KYR – Know Your Rights (Video Series) (In ASL)
Rights and Awareness for Unaccompanied Children
Helpful Tools – Check out this KYR App HERE to help carry know your rights information with you in your phone.

Additional Reading – Check out these multilingual and scenario-based KYR resources by ILAP, CLINIC, and the ACLU.

KNOW YOUR STATUS

The Federal administration is making changes to immigration. Stay up to date on your immigration status and any changes that may be relevant to you.

PEOPLE WITH REFUGEE STATUS should set up a USCIS account and request a copy of their U.S. refugee application in case they are “revetted” by immigration. They should also take steps to prepare for a potential detention. Resources are available in Amharic, Arabic, Dari, French, Haitian Kreyol, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian.
ASYLUM SEEKERS should learn how laws are changing related to asylum procedure.
PEOPLE WITH TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS (TPS) should learn about how laws are changing for TPS, and whether their country is still listed as protected.

Also see info flyer at the bottom of the page on “revetting” your refugee status.

MAKE YOUR PLAN

While we hope for the best, we need to plan for the worst.

TAKE A MOMENT – It’s stressful and scary to prepare for a potential detention and deportation. If you are in need of mental health support, consider reaching out to the ShifaME program by Spurwink or Generational Noor.
BUILD YOUR OWN PLAN – Use this excellent resource from the Appleseed Network to build your own detention preparedness plan.
WRITE DOWN BASIC INFORMATION – Use this worksheet from ILAP to record your key information. Also available in Français | Português | Español | Kreyòl Ayisyen | Soomaali.
PLAN FOR YOUR KIDS AND FINANCES – It’s important to plan care for your children and your finances in the case of being detained. Connect with the Volunteer Lawyer Project to receive limited legal advice on family law. With a family lawyer’s support, you can designate another person to act on your behalf. Also consider taking these free financial education trainings to strengthen your finances.
CARRY NEEDED DOCUMENTS – Regardless of your status, you should make copies of and keep certain documents on you at all times.
TALK TO YOUR KIDS – It’s important to talk with your kids about ICE in an age-appropriate way. Check out these resources.

Helpful Tools – Consider downloading the ReadyNow! App or InstaSOS App to set up your textable emergency plans. Print Red Cards to carry with you to remind you of your rights. For additional reading, check out these planning workbooks by the Appleseed Network and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. We also recommend this resource related to caring for children and this resource related to life after deportation.

FIND RESOURCES

Organizations in Maine are offering help to meet your basic needs: food, housing, health care, and more! If you are looking for people who can support you, please:

Resource Directories – Check out Find Help and/or 211Maine to find organizations offering resources to meet basic needs in Maine. Other available support hotlines exist for:

YOUR RIGHT TO RECORD

Everyone in the United States has the constitutional right to record public officials, including immigration or law enforcement officers, as long as doing so does not interfere with their duties.Your first priority, however, should be to do no harm. Please note that exposing someone’s identity could put them at greater risk.

LEARN HOW to Safely Film Immigration Enforcement.
FOR MORE check out this multilingual Resource Library on how to film ICE interactions.

SAFETY NOTES:

Your Safety – Do not attempt to verify (check on) whether ICE is present in your community if you are concerned about your safety. Things like perceived identity (race, gender, mental health status, etc), vulnerable immigration status, or criminal/ legal history could elevate risk. Be aware: Law enforcement officers are trained to prioritize their own safety during encounters. This can make filming situations tense or unpredictable, so assess your own safety first.
Report Abuses – If you believe you were harassed, threatened, harassed, intimidated, detained, or subject to the use of force by federal immigration enforcement while observing ICE agents, report the incident to the ACLU of Maine.
Your Wellbeing- Witnessing and experiencing state violence can be traumatic. Try to identify things to calm yourself and care for others. If you are able, ask the person experiencing violence what they need and what could help de-escalate the situation.
You and Your Devices – All of Maine is within 100 miles of the U.S. border, therefore you and your devices are more vulnerable to searches. Laws and policies are constantly changing here, so we recommend regularly consulting the ACLU Maine Know Your Rights page and the other links here for up-to-date information.

SUPPORT DETAINEES

If someone has been detained, you and your community need to work together to support them. The key steps of Detainee Support are below. **Starred items are important to do first, but all items should be covered rapidly. For additional information on detainee support, check out the National Immigrant Justice Center.

**Detainee Tracking and Court Date – One of your first actions in supporting a detainee is to find out where they have been taken and if/ when their court date is.

Track Detained Person’s Location – Identify where the detained person is HERE. Please note that you need the individual’s A-Number and country of birth OR their full name, country of birth and date of birth in order to track their location. If you are still unable to find them online, you can try contacting the nearest ICE ERO field office or the specific detention facilities you suspect.
Detention Center Contact – Search detention center contact information HERE. You may contact the detention facility to schedule calls or visits. Some facilities allow for in-person visitation while others may provide for video-visitation only.
Court Date – Check their immigration court case status (if they have a court date yet) by clicking HERE. Please note that you need their A number and country of birth. If you have any trouble finding your court date, check out ILAP’s great Self Help Guide.

**Coordinate Legal Representation – Immigration cases for detained people move quickly, and it is important to quickly coordinate legal representation for the individual who has been detained. To find a lawyer, check out the resources below.

Legal Help for Detained Immigrants: ILAP provides free immigration legal help to people detained by immigration officials if they live in Maine or are being held in Maine. Please use ILAP’s Detained Help Request form.
Farmworker Legal Assistance – Farmworkers can reach out to Pine Tree Legal’s Farmworker Unit.
Find more immigration attorneys through the Immigration Advocates Network.
Report Abuses – If you suspect racial profiling or excessive use of force, you can report it to the ACLU of Maine.
Watch out for Fraud – There is a list of Currently Disciplined Immigration Practitioners. If your lawyer is on this list, stop talking to them and get a new lawyer.
Additional Reading – We also recommend you check out these Do’s and Dont’s with Your Legal Representative and Common Scammer Actions of people offering immigration assistance.

Safely Collect Belongings – Most immigrants should NOT go to the ICE office in Scarborough to pick up a detainee’s belongings. ICE has detained immigrants coming to pick up another detainee’s belongings. Instead, coordinate for release and pick up of belongings with the detainee’s lawyer.

Collect Needed Information – Collect information related to the person detained and their family. Ask the following questions:

Basic Information – Record their full legal name and address. Record family information such as spouse, children, and other live-in relatives/ friends.
Immigration/ Criminal Information – What is the person’s A# and country of birth? How did the person enter the country? If they crossed the border, were they arrested/apprehended/detained by border patrol? Collect any prior immigration applications filed and receipt notices, as well as any police reports, probable cause affidavits, charging documents, and sentencing documents.
Emergency Plan – Does the person who was detained have an emergency plan for them and their family? Collect and review all documents they have prepared.
Detention Incident If anyone witnessed the detention, they should describe everything that happened. Who else was present? Was anyone else detained? What did the agents say? Did they aggressively touch or move anyone? Was anyone hurt?

Financial Assistance – Coordinate financial assistance for the detained person, such as bail bond, commissary, and family stability assistance. The following organizations are growing in Maine and here to help. PLEASE NOTE: These funds are heavily used and application forms may occasionally “close” as the organization works through a backlog of applications.

Maine Solidarity Fund – Inquire for financial support. This fund is eligible to immigrants, undocumented community members, and other marginalized communities, offering the following supports: Bail and bond payments, legal fees, emergency family support, application fees for immigration documents.
Community Relief Fund (CRF) – If you live in Central, Midcoast, or Northern Maine, inquire for financial support. This fund is a community and BIPoC led, autonomous, mutual aid, and rapid response effort eligible to families coping with the emotional and financial burden of loved ones taken by ICE or Border Patrol in Wabanakiek (Maine). CRF offers support for expenses such as: Bail support, monetary support, resource sharing, family strategy support.
Mainers for Humane Immigration (Flyer) – Inquire for resources or call their intake hotline at (207) 747-1409. This fund is eligible to people in ICE detention and the families left navigating its consequences, offering the following supports: commissary support, post-release support, bond assistance, and paper bridges.
Project Relief ME– Inquire for support. This fund is a Black immigrant-led mutual aid group assisting with housing, diapers, groceries, transport, clothing, and legal aid to those impacted by ICE and systemic injustice.
L/A Rapid Response Fund – Inquire for resources. This fund is strategically designed to keep those impacted by ICE operations in their home and in their community through eviction prevention and providing direct support to those facing housing insecurity.
Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN) – Inquire for financial support. This organization offers immigration bond support for people with a connection to the state of Massachusetts (detained in MA, living in MA, or with immigration court in MA).

Community Support – Identify community organizations that can support detainees and their families. Connect with:

Local Community Support Groups – Reach out to local resettlement groups and Ethnic Community leaders.
- Angolan Community of Maine
- Congo Community of Maine
- Presente! (Latinx community, Portland)
- Community Relief Fund (Waterville)
- Capital Area New Mainers (Augusta)
- Maine MultiCultural Center (Bangor)
- Midcoast New Mainers (Brunswick)
- Hope Acts (Portland)
Employer – the detainee’s employer HR office, if relevant, to alert them to the detention, check ongoing employment, and see what support they can provide to the detainee and their family.
Local Groups – local community groups, such as faith communities, PTO’s, social clubs, neighborhood associations and others nearby who can coordinate community care and mutual aid.
Local Nonprofits – other nonprofits in your area who can help! Check out Find Help and/or 211Maine for potential supporting nonprofits.
Hotline – If you need help finding other local resources, call the Hotline! 207-544-9989

TAKE ACTION

Volunteer and Donate to Organizations and Key Funds!

LEGAL SERVICES
- Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) – DONATE
- ACLU Maine – DONATE
- Maine Law, Refugee and Human Rights Clinic (RHRC) – DONATE. When donating to RHRC, select “Clinics at Maine Law” and then write RHRC in the “Other Designation” line.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
- The Maine Solidarity Fund – DONATE.
- Community Relief Fund – DONATE.
- Mainers for Humane Immigration – VOLUNTEER; DONATE.
- Project Relief Maine – DONATE
- L/A Rapid Response – DONATE
- Families in Crisis fund of the Foundation for Portland Public Schools – DONATE
- Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network – DONATE
COORDINATING ORGANIZATIONS
- Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC) – VOLUNTEER; DONATE
- People’s Coalition for Safety and Justice (PCSJ) – VOLUNTEER
IMMIGRANT SERVING ORGANIZATIONS
- Presente!Maine – DONATE
- Khmer Maine – DONATE
- Unified Asian Communities – DONATE
- CoCo Maine – DONATE
- Hope Acts – DONATE

The post WELCOME TO THE MAINE IMMIGRANT RESOURCE HUB & HOTLINE first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

The Story of Neat & MIRC Collaboration

Mufalo — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:00:26 +0000

Want a hoodie or sweatshirt? Fill out a form here.

Text from the Instagram post:

We believe the beautiful game of soccer can be a powerful force for change. Want to join our team!?

With so many Mainers celebrating the start of another Hearts of Pine season, and fans across North America anticipating this summer’s World Cup — including major matches in New England — we have a chance to bring our message of immigrant rights and global solidarity to the forefront.

Read our proposal here, inspired by Hearts coach Bobby Murphy.

Let us know if you want a hoodie or t-shirt of your own using by this interest form: bit.ly/neatbrigade

We’ll be in touch.

Thank you.
@hearts_sc
@dirigounion
@thevalentineband
@lightkeepersg
@ghoff_johns
@americanrootswear
@kennedyparkpickupsoccer
@kennedyparkfc
@rtg.maine
@cadepotts_
@voices4portlandmestudents
@projectreliefme
@maineworldcup
@mainesoccerdevelopment

Keep leading with your hearts! (And welcome home, Joel. ❤️‍🩹)

The post The Story of Neat & MIRC Collaboration first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Advocacy Update

Mufalo — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:55:27 +0000

Dear MIRC Community,

Welcome to Friday and to March! Before we say goodbye to February completely, take one last look at it. Did you notice that it fit perfectly on the calendar? In the Gregorian calendar, the phenomenon occurs every six years or eleven years following a 6-11-11, 11-6-11, or an 11-11-6 sequence until the end of the 21st century. The next “perfect month” won’t be until February 2037.

This is also your friendly reminder that our clocks are springing forward on Sunday; and while we gain an extra hour of light and I’m happy that the sun won’t set before 6 PM until the fall, is it really worth the loss of that extra hour of sleep?

With that question in mind, let’s get on to the MIRC Advocacy Update:

Local

The Portland City Council’s Finance Committee hosted a public hearing and final review of the City Manager’s recommended FY27 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) at its Thursday, March 5, meeting. Following the committee process, the CIP budget will be sent to the Portland City Council for consideration and adoption in April. Read the full update to learn more.

The Portland Police Department invites community members to join them on Thursday, March 12, 2025, for a Community Q&A and Open House at its headquarters at 109 Middle Street. The Police Chief, Command Staff, and Community Policing Unit will listen, answer questions, discuss public safety, policing in Portland, and share their vision for strengthening community relationships. The evening begins with a Community Q&A from 5:00–6:00 PM, allowing residents to share thoughts, ask questions, and learn about the department’s work and priorities. From 6:00–7:00 PM, the public can attend an Open House and tours, meet officers and staff, learn about different units and services, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the Portland Police Department.

Scott Harriman won a special election in Lewiston House District 94 on Tuesday to fill a vacant seat in the Maine House. Harriman (D) defeated Janet Beaudoin (R) by a vote margin of 572 to 503.

The Portland Press Herland highlighted the work of the York County Community Action Corporation in helping 84 families secure stable housing in York County.

The Bangor Daily News ran a story on the opening day of the Buena Vista Filipino Market. The bustling store is the second to open and has been serving as a hub of Asian foods and snacks.

You can also learn more about the Lion Dance history and touch up on your Lunar New Year background in case you weren’t able to catch the celebration held by the Chinese and American Friendship Association of Maine.

In case you missed the February edition of Golden Door, an advocacy newsletter from our friends at ILAP, you can make sure you don’t miss the next one by signing up here

The annual Portland St. Patrick’s Day parade will take place on Sunday, March 15, this year at 12:00 PM, beginning at the Portland Fish Pier parking lot on the corner of Center Street and Commercial Street.

As of February 20, the new Rave Alert system, powered by Smart911, replaced the CodeRed system that had previously been used by Cumberland County. Anyone wishing to continue to receive alerts must subscribe to the new system. Visit their dedicated webpage to sign up, or call 207-893-2810. The new system will alert you with a call, text, or email and provide important instructions when a disaster impacts the area.

State

Between February 20 and March 5, our Hotline received 839 calls and 34 text messages, with 70 reporting credible sightings of ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) or Border Patrol (CBP) and 14 requesting referrals to services from our Coalition members and partners. These calls continue to come in from across the state, with a lot of the recent attention focusing on the central and northern parts of the state. The biggest example has been CBP’s repeated raids of farmworkers near Skowhegan, where more than 30 people have been arrested in the past month.

During the month of February, MIRC testified in support of the following pieces of legislationSupporting progressive revenue streams to fund social programs and In support of civil legal funding in the supplemental budgetIn support of shelter funding In support of prohibiting the disclosure of nonpublic records without proper judicial reviewSupplemental budget hearings have, for the most part, concluded, and our regular hearings continue with most hearings occuring Tuesday and Thursday.

Our friends at MCAN have shared their priority legislation; check out their spreadsheet.

The Maine Morning Star ran a story highlighting some of the work by MIRC members and partners to address the impacts of the changes in SNAP eligibility and funding. One of the bills highlighted may seem familiar! Additionally, the Speaker is seeking a $250 million investment in health care that would support a wide range of programs facing federal funding losses, from hospitals struggling to stay open to consumers who have seen a sharp increase in insurance costs.

Maine is projected to generate even more revenue over the next two years than previously estimated, although the state’s long-term financial growth prospects appear less favorable. Preliminary estimates from the Maine Revenue Forecasting Committee, discussed on Thursday, indicate that Maine’s general fund, primarily composed of taxes and fees, is expected to experience a reduction of approximately $76 million or a 0.3% decrease compared to earlier predictions over the next four years.

Upcoming advocacy opportunities at the state level:LD 2176, An Act to Safeguard Personal Information and Strengthen Tenant Rights in Maine, will have its public hearing on March 11, 2026, at 1 PM

Federal

Bloomberg Law reports a new proposal from the Trump administration would pause work permit applications for asylum seekers when affirmative asylum claims average processing times is more than 180 days. The current rules from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) require asylum seekers to wait at least 150 days before applying for work permits after they start their asylum claim. The new proposal would also extend this waiting period to 365 days. You can read the comment and submit your comments on the Federal Register website (Advocacy Alert forthcoming!)1-page summary of proposed rule 5 things to know about a new proposed work permit rule Explainer: Asylum Work Authorization Rulemaking

Sharing a joint resource from FRAC & ATF on how HR 1 harmed families who rely on SNAP and food assistance, and comparing how Billionaires and Big Corporations are getting more while working people get less

The Trump administration is considering a possible executive order or other action that would require banks to collect citizenship information from their customers, as a potential expansion of existing know your customer (KYC) rules, which currently require banks to collect a customer’s name, date of birth, and home address to help prevent money laundering and other financial crimes. The potential action could require banks to collect new categories of documentation, such as passports, from new customers, and, if retroactive, to solicit documentation from current account holders as well. REAL IDs, which do not prove citizenship, would not satisfy the requirement.

President Trump removed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on March 5, the day after she completed two days of contentious congressional testimony. Trump announced he would nominate sitting Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) as Noem’s replacement.

The DOJ issued an interim final rule that overhauls the BIA administrative appellate process, making appeals of immigration judge decisions discretionary, allowing the Board to summarily dismiss most cases unless a majority of members vote to hear them, and reducing the appeal filing deadline from 30 to 10 days, among other changes, to expedite adjudications and address the BIA’s backlog. The administration is currently accepting public comments on the rule until March 9, 2026, the date the rule goes into effect. Comments can be submitted here.

HUD published a proposed rule in the FRN to enforce stricter verification of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status for all residents in HUD‑funded housing programs, including public housing and rental assistance. Under the proposal, a household would only qualify for federal housing aid if every family member can prove eligible status, effectively barring mixed‑status families from receiving assistance. The proposed rule is open to public comments until April 21, 2026. Comments can be submitted here. Please review the statement by the National Housing Law Project and Protecting Immigrant Families.

Government records confirm that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cut its training program for new recruits dramatically as hiring increased, reports Sarah Blaskey of The Washington Post.

Approved asylum cases dropped sharply during the first year of the Trump administration’s expanded deportation initiatives, reports Andrea Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. Just in January, fewer than 3% of cases were approved, compared with 18% in 2025, according to an analysis of federal immigration data. What’s more concerning is that around 20% of those seeking asylum missed their hearings in January compared to 10% the previous year.

SOCUTS ruled unanimously that asylum applicants can appeal denials by immigration judges after a question was presented in Urias-Orellana et al v Bondi regarding whether those determinations are administrative factual findings requiring deference from courts of review.

DHS funding shutdown enters its fourth week. Negotiations remain deadlocked over Democratic demands to include restrictions on ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as a condition of any funding bill. Democrats have continued to offer funding for all other DHS components through September 30, while Republicans have pushed for a clean funding bill.

On February 27, Senator Ed Markey (MA) announced the Senate introduction of the Securing Help for Immigrants through Education and Legal Development (SHIELD) Act, a bill that would establish a $100 million federal grant program to strengthen legal representation for immigrants and uphold due process nationally.

A recent article from PolitiFact looked at President Trump’s enacted policies that have significantly restricted legal immigration. These policies include ending humanitarian parole programs, implementing travel bans, and dismantling the U.S. refugee program. Critics argue these actions will lead to the largest restriction in legal immigration since the 1920s.

A recent analysis of government records has found that the vast majority (77%) of people who entered deportation proceedings for the first time in 2025 had no criminal conviction. The data also showed that fewer than half (40%) of the people in the data had any criminal charge, and only 23% had a conviction. Of those convicted, nearly half were for non-violent traffic and immigration offenses. Traffic offenses alone accounted for nearly 30% of convictions, the largest category. Assault convictions made up 9%, sexual assault convictions 1%, and homicide convictions 0.5%.

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,

Ruben Torres

Advocacy and Policy Manager

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

MIRC News & Action #7

Mufalo — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:02:25 +0000

Click to see full newsletter and join our mailing list.

Making headlines, defending communities

Over the past month, our communities — our coalition members and partners, our families and friends — have been under attack by the unnatural disaster of reckless immigration enforcement in Maine.

In response to this terror-like campaign by federal agencies, which seems to be condoned by DHS, we’ve dedicated much of our time to a surge of our own: a community-driven surge of accurate information.

While we’ve been able to reach thousands with our social media, we reach many more by providing our data and analysis to news outlets. Over the past month, we’ve been featured in dozens of stories seen by millions across the state and beyond.

Seven powerful news stories featuring MIRC

Where reports of ICE activity have come in across Maine Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News review and graphics from Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline data.
‘Sheer panic’: Executive director of Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition discusses ICE action (Video) MIRC Executive Director joins Total Maine (ABC) to discuss the wave of federal law enforcement activity.
Immigrant Rights Leader in Maine Says ICE Raids Caused Panic & “Wave of Fear” (Video). MIRC Executive Director featured on Democracy Now!.
Maine immigrant advocates mobilize as ICE presence expected to increase, hotline launched (Video) The National News Desk interviews MIRC.
Federal agents detain workers from bus near Skowhegan Boston Globe quotes MIRC on CBP workplace raid targeting tomato farm employees.
Federal agents arrest up to 19 at Madison farm, sparking community aid efforts (Video) News Center Maine interviews MIRC on CBP workplace raid.
Maine considers shoring up rights for wrongfully detained immigrants MIRC quoted in Maine Morningstar article about a legislative bill proposed to secure legal assistance for Mainers whose rights may have been violated by federal agencies.

Updates from the Hotline

This week marks one month since the ICE surge began in Maine, we released a report looking at a full month of Hotline data. Check it out here on Facebook or Instagram.

MIRC published a newsletter last week, The Switchboard, for Hotline volunteers and supporters. If you missed it, you can find it here.

NOTE: If you’re not a social media user, you can also find all of our data reports on the MIRC website here.

Fighting for fairness in Maine taxes

MIRC joined Mainers for Tax Fairness at the State House, urging lawmakers to reject tax giveaways for wealthy households and large corporations, and instead raise progressive revenue to address Maine’s affordability crisis.

We joined a press conference that coincided with hearings on Governor Mills’ supplemental budget. Speakers from various organizations emphasized that Maine must respond to harmful federal policy changes — including those in the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (HR1), which cut food assistance and health care to fund corporate and high-income tax breaks.

Advocates urged lawmakers to ask millionaires and large corporations to pay their fair share (LD 229, LD 1089 and LD 1879) and to reject federal tax changes that benefit corporations but undermine the state’s ability to fund essential services.

Learn more and take action here.

Two MIRC fundraisers coming up

Join us for music on Feb. 20 in Portland and stand-up comedy March 28 in Bath. Mark your calendars, and invite a friend.

Thank you for your support,

Mufalo ChitamMIRC Executive Director

P.S. If you are able to make a donation to sustain our work in this critical time, we welcome it and thank you immensely.

Donate to MIRC today.

maineimmigrantrights.org | 207-956-7030Enhancing Immigrant Lives for a Stronger Maine!

The post MIRC News & Action #7 first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Hotline Data reports 2026

Mufalo — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:11:34 +0000

MIRC began creating these infographics and data reports in the first days of the January 2026 ICE surge, and then moved to a weekly report, allowing a glimpse into what people across the state were seeing and calling the Hotline about. By the third week of reports, we reached almost 300 thousand people with these reports on Instagram and Facebook alone. They were also shared among groups via email, texts, Signal and WhatsApp chats to inform many communities.

The post Hotline Data reports 2026 first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Major Immigration Enforcement Raid at Skowhegan-area Farm This Morning

Mufalo — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:28:41 +0000

For Immediate Release February 10, 2026

Skowhegan, Maine — Multiple reports are confirming that at 5 AM, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents conducted a raid of a bus transporting workers. This raid occurred near a housing area for farmworkers employed at nearby Backyard Farms. Witnesses reported 17-19 people arrested, including a U.S. citizen.

The incident was reported to the Maine Immigrant Defense Hotline at 7 a.m. and verified by organizations that began getting requests for legal assistance related to the incident.

The Hotline has been receiving a growing number of calls that originate from the more rural areas of the state. Today’s event represents an unprecedented scale of enforcement activity of this nature in Maine and raises significant concerns for impacted workers, families, and service providers.

“We worry this may indicate the start of a new phase of enhanced enforcement activity in the state that began with the surge in January. Suddenly, disruptive enforcement actions in communities like Skowhegan leave families, workplaces, and communities in crisis,” said Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director of the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition.

Some workers and families in the area are now believed to be sheltering in place and may need food or medicine. Others are likely at work and afraid to leave. As we saw during January’s surge, when thousands of Maine children missed school out of fear, the ripple effects of enforcement operations extend far beyond those directly arrested.

Anyone known to be impacted by the detentions is encouraged to fill out a request for legal assistance from the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) here.

Additional requests can be made with: Maine Mobile Health for health and medical assistance, Capitol Area New Mainers for food support, Mano En Mano for language assistance, and financial assistance from the Community Relief Fund and the Maine Solidarity Fund.

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The post Major Immigration Enforcement Raid at Skowhegan-area Farm This Morning first appeared on Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition.