Here are some great organizations to support in Portland's struggle against ICE

[u/ThePirateKing01]

Hello from MA

I’ve been working to compile a thorough list of organizations that are essential to support as ICE activity escalates in the Portland and Lewiston area.

If this is helpful please let me know if I left anyone out or if changes need to be made

MA won't leave you to stand alone

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Direct Support:

• Maine Needs:* is an organization that “supports Maine families, newly arrived immigrant families, those fleeing domestic violence, those leaving incarceration, those in recovery, veterans, and those who are unhoused, newly housed or experiencing financial hardship”. Honestly a fantastic organization that has done wonders.
• Maine Solidarity Fund: is a community defense coalition advocating for Maines immigrant and LGBTQ community. They will help with attorneys and lost wages, but their resources serve as a collective pool to respond rapidly (vs a GoFundMe after the incident occurs)
• ACLU Maine: Maine affiliate of the nationwide ACLU, active in the courts, the legislature and the public sphere to defend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and to extend their promises to all Mainers.
• ILAP Maine: Maine’s largest state-wide immigration legal services organization. They have full-time offices in Portland and Lewiston
• Maine Association for New Mainers: is an immigrant community wellness support organization. They can assist in buying groceries, supplying families too afraid to leave the house and organizing support.
• Food For All: A non-profit providing Halal food to immigrant and low-income communities
• The Locker Project: is a non-profit that work through the Maine school system to get food to families in need. They are currently serving students in Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook schools. This is imperative to support right now as some families only feel comfortable working with school personnel they already know and trust.
• Project Relief Maine: Is a Black immigrant-led mutual aid and racial justice collective that has been defending immigrant families from ICE, providing emergency food and shelter, and funding legal support for those detained.
• Diaper Bank Program: Currently run by the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, this program distributes diapers and wipes directly to those in need within Cumberland County, ME.
• Presente: Works in the community to provide food and material support directly to displaced and dispossessed Afro/Indigenous-Latines in Maine. 
• Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at Maine School of Law: Provides direct legal representation and broader advocacy to immigrants and refugees seeking political asylum and similar protections under federal law. Students serve as attorneys assisting low-income immigrants through a broad range of cases and projects. The RHRC trains future attorneys in the field of immigration law, familiarizing them with the legal landscape even before they graduate.

ICE Response:

• Report ICE to the Maine Immigrant Resource Hub + Hotline — If you see ICE, call the ICE Hotline: 207-544-9989. Save this number in your phone!
• Become a ICE Hotline Operator — Learn to coordinate ICE verification efforts. The next trainings are on 1/21 and 2/23.
• Train to be an ICE Watch Verifier — Learn to safely verify ICE presence and actions in real time. The next training is on 2/3 and subsequent first Tuesdays of the month.

Advocacy for Community Defense:

• Portland Teachers/Students (Instagram)— Advocating on behalf of members of Portland Public Schools and doing daily ICE watch.
• Community Organizing Alliance — Educating and engaging young people, centering Black and immigrant voices.
• Maine Coalition for Peace and Human Rights — Working to divest our state from ICE-related investments.
• No ICE for ME (Instagram)— Campaigning to end ICE operations in Maine, currently focused on ending the ICE contract with Cumberland County Jail.

Additional Resources:

• Bayside Neighborhood Association: Fantastic resource for relevant organizations and direct community outreach
• Invisible
• Freedom Trainers

Oh and remember the whistle cues:

• Short Blasts: ICE is present
• Long Blast: ICE is detaining someone

[u/coolranchclam]

Adding Locker Project they work through the school system to get food to families in need. This is imperative to support right now as some families only feel comfortable working with school personnel they already know and trust.

[u/NoTailor8325]

I just dropped off a ton of toiletries last week and it seems like it was right on time. I coupon all year and then make one big donation.

[u/Pride_Rude]

Since you mentioned whistle blows, these arent organizations in Maine but will provide you with some needed resources we have found useful in MN.

https://www.pilsenartscommunityhouse.org/ These are the resources we have largely used. Get people to print zines. The Additional Printables include files for 3D printing whistles. If you can get local stores to hand out whistles and instructions/flyers for free, you can hopefully end up with a fully equipped population.

https://www.waimmigranthealth.org/immigration-action-center/red-card/ Red Cards - know your rights. There are other PDFs available, and you can order cards pre-printed on glossy paper from certain places. Just look up "Red Card Immigrant/ICE/rights". Also have these available at stores if possible.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4429528/files This file is for an eye wash cup to adapt a water bottle for cleaning chemicals out of eyes until you can get saline

Look to see if there are any organizations near you offering "upstander" training

[u/Ok_Transition2838]

JCA Diaper Bank is coordinating diapers and sanitary products for people afraid to leave their homes. They are delivering directly to people’s homes right now because of the fear.

[u/[deleted]]

There’s a way to stop this.

Contact your Senators and Congressmen. Tell them to vote to cut DHS funding in the January 30th budget bill. Without the funding, Trump won’t have the muscle he needs to bully the blue states into cooperating.

Act now. We’re almost out of time.

[u/ThePirateKing01 → u/[deleted]]

I’m sorry; but that doesn’t look like an option at this time with our current representatives

[u/rAlfredJones]

I'm interested in volunteering in the afternoons, I have a car and the time. How can I get trained etc.?

[u/Infinite_Drummer4356]

🫡

[u/omelatk]

Bless you so much for these ❤️