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Chellie Pingree represents Maine’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It’s been a hellish couple of weeks for immigrant families in Maine and across the country.
The president’s cruel rhetoric about people from Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo — claiming they “contribute nothing” and “just run around killing each other” — is abhorrent, offensive, and incredibly dangerous.
Trump’s hateful comments contradict everything we know about our new neighbors.
More than 3,000 Somalis live in Maine. They are teachers, health care workers, small business owners, and valued members of our communities. They are our neighbors and coworkers. They are our children’s classmates. To hear the president say he doesn’t want them in our country is wholly un-American.
Let’s be clear: Unless you’re a Native American, we are all immigrants. My grandparents were immigrants, and I feel fortunate that they were able to come when they did. That’s the story of America. It should be a source of pride, not something to weaponize.
The reality on the ground tells a troubling story. ICE arrests in Maine have jumped nearly 75% this year, averaging about one arrest per day since June. Through mid-October, 230 people had been arrested. And here’s what should alarm every Mainer: Only 20% of those arrested have criminal convictions. The rest have either pending charges or no criminal charges at all.
Think about that. One arrest a day. And four out of five people being detained are not criminals. It’s clear that the Administration’s ramped up anti-immigrant policies aren’t about public safety.
The president vowed to deport murderers and rapists. Instead, he’s going after law-abiding citizens, students, and hardworking families. Last week, more than 500 students in Portland took to the streets after two of their classmates were detained along with their mother and sister. This family, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was sent to Texas and separated between facilities there. We are following their case closely and will do everything we can to help them.
Thank goodness for those students. They showed courage and moral clarity that seems to be in short supply in Washington. They reminded us what Maine values look like: We stand up for one another — and we don’t turn our backs on families who have built lives here.
The policy changes coming out of this administration are causing chaos and heartbreak. People in the middle of citizenship ceremonies have had them blocked. Afghans who risked their lives to help our military are having their visas revoked. People from numerous countries can no longer have their work permits or green card applications processed — even though many have been working alongside us and living in our communities for years.
No one should live with this level of uncertainty — or in constant fear of being picked up, sent away, and denied due process. These are real people with real lives, suddenly unsure if they’ll be able to stay in the only home their children have ever known, or continue in the jobs they’ve held for years, or finish the education they’ve been working toward.
My office and I will continue to support immigrant families in any way we can — both in Washington against Trump’s anti-immigrant regime and in the day-to-day work my team does in Maine, helping people navigate impossible systems, locate detained loved ones, and assert their rights when the process fails them.
We will keep fighting these horrendous policies and push back against the mean-spirited rhetoric that seems to flow from this president every single day. But we need everyone to do their part.
Say a kind word to your friends, neighbors, fellow students, and coworkers who are living in fear right now. Let them know they are wanted and appreciated. Let them know that what the president says doesn’t reflect Maine values. Stand up when you see injustice. Speak out when you hear hateful rhetoric.
We are better than this. Maine is better than this. And we will continue to be a place where immigrants are welcomed and valued, no matter what heinous words come out of the president’s mouth.
