Additional Coverage:
- ‘I may seem like an average mom but I have a secret life sheltering migrants from ICE’ (themirror.com)
Maine Mother Organizes Community Support Amidst Heightened ICE Activity
A Maine mother, identified only as Faith due to fears for her safety, has taken on a critical role in her community, rallying support for families living in apprehension since the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the state. Faith, who balances her work life with raising two young children, described a distinct shift in her daily existence following the agency’s increased presence.
Faith, alongside a dedicated group of fellow mothers, is currently assisting three families who feel unable to leave their homes, fearing potential encounters with ICE. Her support ranges from practical tasks like doing laundry for families without their own machines to daily check-ins and connecting them with external agencies for help with heating bills and other financial needs. To allay any suspicion from the families she assists, Faith often brings her 8-year-old and 5-year-old children along when dropping off groceries or laundry.
“We don’t really talk about how they are feeling, just help with the practical things,” Faith shared.
The mother expressed a newfound sense of unease in her previously tranquil state. “Maine has an incredibly low crime rate,” she noted.
“I rarely locked my house or car door. But since ICE has arrived, I do.
I now make sure my kids are holding my hands when we’re walking on the street – something I never did before.”
The Department of Homeland Security initiated “Operation Catch of the Day” in Maine, a state known for its fishing industry, on January 20th. The department stated its objective was to apprehend “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have terrorized communities.”
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized Governor Mills and other state politicians, stating, “Governor Mills and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Maine have made it abundantly clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens.” McLaughlin added that the operation’s first day saw arrests of individuals charged and convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child.
More than 200 arrests have reportedly been made since the operation began. The New York Times has indicated that the operation appears to be targeting the Somali community.
In response, Faith and her network of volunteers recently contributed $2,500 worth of groceries and supplies to a local food pantry, hoping to bolster resources for the families they support. Faith also recounted an instance where she observed multiple ICE trucks near an immigrant friend’s business, staying with her until the agents departed.
“These are people who have registered their cars, have employment, and are doing everything right,” she emphasized. “But ultimately, it doesn’t matter.
The states Trump is targeting are those that have governors that stood up to him.”
Faith conveyed deep anxiety for her community members who are being targeted. “There are a lot of Somali and Central American immigrants in Maine,” she highlighted. “They’re an integral, vital part of our economy and communities.”
The heightened enforcement in Maine mirrors concerns seen in other states, including Minnesota, where an ICU nurse, Alex Pretti, and mother, Renee Good, were reportedly killed by agents. Additionally, five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was detained with his father. Faith’s own children, she noted, have become aware of these distressing events in the Midwest and are frightened.
Despite the fear, Faith remains resolute. “But it’s also our responsibility to take care of our neighbors and community – to find tangible ways to help others,” she asserted.
“No one told me that the main way I would fight fascism is grocery shopping. But that’s what we’re doing.”
In a development on Thursday, Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine announced that immigration officials have ceased their “enhanced operations” in the state. Senator Collins stated, “I have been urging Secretary Noem and others in the Administration to get ICE to reconsider its approach to immigration enforcement in the state.”