Maine Faith Leaders Increase Support as ICE Enforcement Grows

Concern is rising among faith leaders in Maine as enforcement actions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensify. At the Congregational Church in Cumberland UCC, two individuals now monitor the front doors each Sunday, ready to respond should ICE agents appear. Other members of the congregation have stepped in to assist immigrants fearful of attending work or school by delivering groceries and providing transportation. The Rev. Allison Smith noted a painful reality: “If you are a Black or brown person, it is safer to have somebody with white skin drive you places.”

As ICE escalates its enforcement efforts in the region, churches across Greater Portland are reinforcing their security measures and advocating for immigrants who may be at risk. Smith expressed her distress over witnessing church members, many of whom have rebuilt their lives in Maine, now living in fear. She stated, “They took these harrowing journeys to get here because they believed our country was a democracy, that it was a place where they could finally be safe and their families could be safe.”

The shift in ICE enforcement policies began in January 2021, when the Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era directive that had previously protected sensitive locations, such as churches and schools, from immigration enforcement actions. The new policy allows ICE agents to act in these spaces, as long as they exercise “common sense,” according to the National Immigration Law Center.

Jane Field, the executive director of the Maine Council of Churches, reported that local clergy and church members have received training from immigrant-led organizations to verify information reported to an ICE hotline. Field highlighted the emotional toll this situation has taken, saying, “There’s an enormous amount of heartbreak and worry and righteous anger amongst many people of faith in Maine right now.” She emphasized the importance of keeping the community calm and avoiding the spread of unnecessary panic.

Throughout the past year, the Maine Council of Churches has conducted training sessions for faith leaders regarding ICE enforcement and the recent policy changes. Some local churches, including the Congregational Church in Cumberland UCC, have designated specific areas, such as offices, as private, ensuring ICE agents cannot enter without a judicial warrant.

At Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, Rev. Dr. Leslie Foley has taken proactive measures by posting a “know your rights” checklist and reviewing it with deacons. While the church had existing security protocols, Foley noted that the community is now more vigilant about who enters the building. She remarked that it is “incumbent upon all people to stand in the gap and protect our neighbors however we can.”

A coalition of local faith leaders, including Smith and Field, has dedicated Wednesday afternoons to gather outside the Cumberland County Jail, where ICE detainees are held. They have prayed and sung in solidarity with those detained and have exchanged letters with women from other states being held there. Field noted that some individuals detained in Maine have been relocated to other states, which separates them from their families and communities. “It is our prayer that just as we are doing it for the people here, somebody is doing it for our people wherever they are,” she said.

Field reflected on a poignant statement made by Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, following the tragic death of Renee Good, a Minnesota woman shot and killed by an ICE agent. “I’ve asked (the clergy) to get their affairs in order — to make sure they have their wills written,” Hirschfeld said, emphasizing that it may be time for faith leaders to physically intervene to protect the vulnerable.

As the situation evolves, faith leaders in Maine remain steadfast in their commitment to support immigrants facing uncertainty and fear, advocating for safety and compassion in their communities.