Good morning. It appears that ICE is now in retreat from Maine. This newsletter will be sporadic for the next few weeks, so be sure to check out our Blue Sky and Instagram accounts for current info.

Meanwhile, I will post links to resources on our rights that pertain to these brutal and illegal actions.

Following this newsletter is today’s Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta – the daily action along with a link to his great list of important actions and information. Today’s Top Action requests we call our representatives in the House to tell them to approve the senate package with DHS funding stripped from it when it goes there on Monday and to not forget the Epstein files.

A new action from Hancock County Democrats:
Action 202: What’s next? (1/28).
More Hancock County Democrats actions are found here.

Also, a new action from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance, (1/29) on discussing denying funding for ICE, impeaching Pam Bondi, and other items. 
More BCCA actions here.

A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!

And THANK YOU to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund! Planning events and maintaining the website and email list take money, so these donations are appreciated!

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Current News:

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Weekly Vigils in the
Bangor Area

*****
Tuesdays
Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor 11:00 am

*****
Wednesdays
Weekly Orono Vigil in the town center,
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.  
*****
NEW WEEKLY THURSDAY VIGIL
At the Federal Building in Bangor
3:00 p.m.

Based on the success of the recent protest, this is now a regular vigil every Thursday to keep Trump’s lawlessness and outrages before the public.
*****

Fridays
Bangor Visibility Brigade

The week finishes with two highway overpass actions! There is the Visibility Brigade on the Essex Street I-95 overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!

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ICE IN MAINE RESOURCES

The ICE resources that have been listed in previous newsletters can be found here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOEM RETREATS FROM MAINE

Through the hard work of Americans across the country, especially in Minnesota and Maine, ICE has cut short their operations in Maine. Senator Susan Collins is being allowed to take credit for this and is now positioning herself as the person who can protect us from Donald Trump and thus should be chosen (again) as our senator this November.

Renee Good and Alex Pretti were murdered by ICE agents in Minneapolis. It is horrific, but the administration seems to only care about damage control and not justice. Their approval numbers are plummeting and they know they have to make changes-not because it’s the right thing to do, but because they want to do what they can to ensure they keep the majorities in the House and Senate.

The deaths of Good and Pretti and our hard work made this happen, not Susan Collins.

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Upcoming Events:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Candlelight Vigil for
Alex Pretti, RN,
and all others harmed by ICE
Bangor,
TONIGHT -Friday, 1/30

Please join National Nurses United for a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti, RN and all others harmed by ICE during their week of action.

This Friday, 1/30/26, at 5pm in front of the Federal Building in Bangor.

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Food AND Medicine
Annual Meeting 
TOMORROW Saturday
1/31/26, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
with Lunch at Noon
(lots of fun!)

FAM’s 2026 Annual Meeting, in person is best, but you can also Zoom if needed; the Zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting to those who register for the Zoom. RSVP is required to attend. FAM members will have an opportunity to elect new board members and vote on proposed bylaws changes. 

FAM membership is NOT required to attend, so if you aren’t a member but want to get to know us better, come to the meeting. We love to meet new people!

The program will start promptly at 9am, and we’ll have lunch together at Noon. 

Location: The Food AND Medicine Solidarity Center in Brewer
20 Ivers Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Here We Go Map Here.

RSVP Here!

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NEXT NO KINGS PROTEST
MARCH 28, 2026

In 2025, millions of Americans came together in nonviolent protest to oppose the growing authoritarian actions of the Trump administration and affirm that this nation belongs to its people, not to kings. Since then, people have continued to rise up nonviolently against the Trump administration’s ongoing brutality and abuses of power, including the latest escalation in Minnesota. The No Kings Coalition is activating an immediate and ongoing nationwide digital organizing effort leading up to our next mass mobilization on March 28, including a flagship event in the Twin Cities.

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Other News:

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Write a letter to the editor!

Letters to the editor are published regularly in the local newspapers from Mainers who support the brutal tactics of the authoritarian Trump regime. Write a letter to set the record straight. Click the button to go to the Bangor Daily News “Submit a letter or column” page, the Portland Press Herald “Letters to the editor” page, and the “Letter to the Editor” page at the Ellsworth American.

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Join Indivisible Bangor!

Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and visibilty actions or be a peacekeeper? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing?  Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! Your level of involvement is up to you!

Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!

New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings, which will resume after the holidays!

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Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry

Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash.  Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.

Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!

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Make Some Calls!

It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!

Write Some Emails!

If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.

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We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!

Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!

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Please donate! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine

Thank you for all you do! – George and Indivisible Bangor

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Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action:

Action Friday January 30th: Contact Pingree and Golden to Support the Senate’s Appropriations Package Which Strips DHS Funding Out

Good Morning Folks, it’s the last Friday in January. Susan Collins has announced the end of the ICE “surge” in   Maine, what this actually means is unclear.  Maine Calling will be hosting discussion about the ICE invasion in Maine all this week. If you have experiences to relate call in.

Top Action to Take Today:  

The Senate voted to take DHS (Department of Homeland Security Funding) out of the appropriations budget for separate funding. This means that the funding package with DHS stripped out of it will go to the House on Monday for a vote, and there will be a partial government shutdown over the weekend at least. Contact Representatives Pingree and Golden to ask them to approve this package with funding for DHS to be acted on separately.

If you have done the above, let’s not forget the EPSTEIN FILES – Even though the House is not in Session, please call Pingree and Golden and ask them to co-sponsor the Inherent Contempt Charges (a draft bill sponsored by Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie) against Pam Bondi for not releasing the full Epstein Files in December, when Congress required her to do so. These charges would fine Bondi each day she has delayed in the release of these files. For more information on this go to 5calls.org. This bill does not need to be approved by the Senate to go into effect.

For “More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth” from Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action (1/30), click here.

For the full text of Thursday’s (1/29) Daily, click here.

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  

As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

Call/write Senators King and Collins to support extending the ACA tax credits which will be voted on soon in the Senate. The Maine People’s Alliance makes this really easy through their communications system, go here. If you wish to write your own note or call, their contact information is below in the Contact Information part of this email.

ICE related ActionsYesterday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here .  We have an ACTION TOOLKIT on this bill here. An overflow crowd came to support this bill, with a large representation from the Nurse’s Union. You can still submit testimony on this bill here.

Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey has started an ICE tip-line Citizens are urged to report intimidating and excessive federal enforcement behavior to CitizenReporting.OAG@maine.gov. “

Emailers should be advised that any content sent may be subject to public dissemination under Maine’s Freedom of Access Laws.”

On January 14th, Governor Mills issued a statement concerning ICE activity here in Maine.  Click here to see her statement on Vimeo.

Bruce Springsteen just released the Streets of Minneapolis – exactly what we need to keep our momentum building!

If you are considering activating in regards to the ICE + CBP presence here in Maine, Cumberland County Indivisible has sent a great list of things to be aware of in their last email blast.  I have attached it to today’s email.The Maine Immigrant’s  Rights Coalition has set up a resource hub on responding to ICE.  Think about what your risk tolerance is and then activate – you could get ICE verifier and de-escalation training, you could support NO Mask in Maine legislation, you could help your local organizers bring food to families who are not leaving home right now, and, offer to take their kids to school. Lots of resources below. If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 9989. You can also text them a photo of what you believe to be an ICE vehicle, or any ICE actions in your area.

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states and now in Maine. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

There are now 140 co-sponsors of a bill to impeach Krist Noem, Head of the Department of Homeland Security. 

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.If you want to get more involved check out this training manual for becoming an ICE verifier.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here. 

Other resist ICE resources: Resources from the Democracy Security Project:  Printable De-Escalation Pocket Guide  Printable Protest Pocket Guide       Other DSP Resources 
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

ACA Related Actions

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here. This bill passed in the house!!

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist. This link is currently dead because people think the Russians took down this site after a whistleblower released the names of 4500 immigration law enforcement personnel. For the full story go here. Another resource on Boycotting – Scott Galloway’s podcast – Raging Moderates, discusses boycotting TechBro products at about 14:30 into the podcast, go here. (thank you Wendilee for this)

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country. Activate Maine also has a Mutual Aid page with lots of resources.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

ICE Related Mutual Aid: Both documented and undocumented immigrants are staying home in Maine, scared to leave the house to go shopping, bring their children to school, go to Dr’s appointments etc. You can help go here to find out how.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

Research!

Learn more about Chenoweth’s 3.5% rule – go to one or more of these links: Wikipedia:    BBCHarvard:

The Resource Alliance . (Thank you Beth for these links!)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

State Wide Actions

• (Calendar March 28th for the next NO KINGS national mobilization)
• Support LD 2106 to prevent ICE + CBP from entering private spaces in Schools, Hospitals, Libraries and Daycare Centers. There is an ACTION TOOLKIT on this bill here. An overflow crowd came to support this bill, with a large representation from the Nurse’s Union. You can still submit testimony on this bill here.
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 9989
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices)  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

Find Your State Senator: By name:

Here , By district: Here

Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here

New:

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. Keep your calendars open for a NOTTHISPRESIDENT’s Day February 16th, 11:30 to 1 right here in Waterville. Register for it here.

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989

Thursday, January 29th,  Fairfield Benton Bridge 3-4 pm: Probably not happening on Christmas….stop the coup, support Democracy.

First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County.

Sunday, February 1st : 1:00 (and every Sunday) Bridge on KMD by the CVS Waterville: Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, February 3d: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th, 2025!

Wednesday, February 4th: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com

Thursday, January 29th, (And Every Thursday) Fairfield Benton Bridge 3-4 pm:….stop the coup, support Democracy, ICE OUT 

SOLIDARITY

*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.

However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

“To put current political issues into perspective, consider the Greenland Shark – it can live up to 500 years; it can have babies once it turns 180, and the babies gestate for 8 to 18 years. Its heart beats at a rate of 20 beats per minute. Sometimes thinking on a Greenland Shark time frame can be helpful.”  Anonymous

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears!  ~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

For the Heart + Keep Up the Pressure on No $ for ICE + Remember the Epstein Files?

Good Morning Folks, it’s a For the Heart Thursday. Bruce Springsteen just released the Streets of Minneapolis – exactly what we need to keep our momentum building!  Maine Calling will be hosting discussion about the ICE invasion in Maine all this week.

Top Action to Take Today:  (I am repeating yesterday’s action because this is so immediate and important)

If you haven’t yet called our Senators, or three friends to call them to vote NO on funding ICE please do so. The Senate failed to pass the House bill (47-45) which included funding for ICE yesterday.  Funding for DHS can get stripped out of the Continuing Resolution Bill and acted on separately so voting no doesn’t mean another complete government shutdown. Call Majority Leader Senator John Thune,(202) 224-2321 or (605) 225-8823 or (605) 334-9596 or (605) 348-7551. and ask him to take DHS funding as a separate vote.  5calls.org has a demand to defund ICE entirely.

If you have done the above, let’s not forget the EPSTEIN FILES – Even though the House is not in Session,

please call Pingree and Golden and ask them to support the Inherent Contempt Charges (bill sponsored by Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie) against Pam Bondi for not releasing the full Epstein Files in December, when Congress required her to do so. These charges would fine Bondi each day she has delayed in the release of these files. For more information on this go to 5calls.org. This bill does not need to be approved by the Senate to go into effect.

For the Heart   

For Your Heart this sixth week of Winter: What is this moment inviting me to do? Include one’s own experience into the moment, when we ask, what now?                                                     

~~Nancy Hathaway  Center for Studying Mindfulness

Psalm For the Slightly Tilted  

This is not a good year.But it has witnesses.When you see them protest the powerful, since who else does, they stand like flagpoles outside the courthouse after a northeaster.They came with the wrong shoes for revolution. Still, they showed up.Comfort, Lord, their bodies—each a question mark doing time as a coat rack, hung with borrowed jackets.They are your legion of bent spoons.They are the only ones who showed up—with their orthopedic flair.I saw my people lean—not toward hope but toward each other.They chant off-rhythm and mean it.These are my kind of people:no tears—just steam from a kettle that never quite boils. In times like these, don’t forget us:the lopsided leaning on one another, like sodden paperbacks left out on the stoop—Nobody opens them.But they still insist on carrying the plot. Comfort us standing up—half scarecrow half saxophone with a squawk.While stiffness becomes state policy, comfort us sitting—in that collapse called calm.In the year they come for us watch my people make protest signs out of old pizza boxes.Watch—there are no boring people which is unfortunate.You’d think statistically we’d get at least a few—one-speed souls with just meh stuff to do.But none of them are dull.Each—a suitcase held together by duct tape.These are your coffee-stained saints who rise not with trumpets but with Advil.They stand and wait creased like maps of a country that doesn’t exist anymore.   

Published in the print edition of the January 26, 2026, issue. Ilya Kaminsky is a poet and a translator. With Katie Farris, he translated, from the Ukrainian, “Letters of the Alphabet Go to War,” by Lesyk Panasiuk (January, 2026).

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

Call/write Senators King and Collins to support extending the ACA tax credits which will be voted on next week in the Senate. The Maine People’s Alliance makes this really easy through their communications system, go here. If you wish to write your own note or call, their contact information is below in the Contact Information part of this email.

ICE related ActionsTODAY, Jan. 29, at 1 pm the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here .  We have an ACTION TOOLKIT on this bill here We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch.  Contact your local Representative and Senator to support this bill, and send testimony to the hearing, or plan to be there to testify in person.

Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey has started an ICE tip-line Citizens are urged to report intimidating and excessive federal enforcement behavior to CitizenReporting.OAG@maine.gov. “

Emailers should be advised that any content sent may be subject to public dissemination under Maine’s Freedom of Access Laws.”

 The Maine Immigrant’s  Rights Coalition has set up a resource hub on responding to ICE.  Think about what your risk tolerance is and then activate – you could get ICE verifier and de-escalation training, you could support NO Mask in Maine legislation, you could help your local organizers bring food to families who are not leaving home right now, and, offer to take their kids to school. Lots of resources below. If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine:207 544 9989. You can also text them a photo of what you believe to be an ICE vehicle, or any ICE actions in your area.

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.

Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster. No extra funding for ICE. Call Collins to ask her to deny requests for more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. See above

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states and now in Maine. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

There are now 140 co-sponsors of a bill to impeach Krist Noem, Head of the Department of Homeland Security. 

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.If you want to get more involved check out 

this training manual for becoming an ICE verifier.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here. 

Other resist ICE resources: Resources from the Democracy Security Project:  Printable De-Escalation Pocket Guide  Printable Protest Pocket Guide       Other DSP Resources 
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

ACA Related Actions

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here. This bill passed in the house!!

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist. This link is currently dead because people think the Russians took down this site after a whistleblower released the names of 4500 immigration law enforcement personnel. For the full story go here. Another resource on Boycotting – Scott Galloway’s podcast – Raging Moderates, discusses boycotting TechBro products at about 14:30 into the podcast, go here. (thank you Wendilee for this)

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country. Activate Maine also has a Mutual Aid page with lots of resources.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

ICE Related Mutual Aid: Both documented and undocumented immigrants are staying home in Maine, scared to leave the house to go shopping, bring their children to school, go to Dr’s appointments etc. You can help go here to find out how.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

Research!

Learn more about Chenoweth’s 3.5% rule – go to one or more of these links: Wikipedia:    BBCHarvard:

The Resource Alliance . (Thank you Beth for these links!)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

State Wide Actions

• (Calendar March 28th for the next NO KINGS national mobilization)From the Maine People’s Alliance: TODAY Thursday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm) the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here . We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch!  
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices)  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

Find Your State Senator: By name:

Here , By district: Here

Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here

New:

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. Keep your calendars open for a NOTTHISPRESIDENT’s Day February 16th, 11:30 to 1 right here in Waterville. Register for it here.

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989

Thursday, January 29th,  Fairfield Benton Bridge 3-4 pm: Probably not happening on Christmas….stop the coup, support Democracy.

First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County.

Sunday, February 1st : 1:00 (and every Sunday) Bridge on KMD by the CVS Waterville: Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, February 3d: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025!

Wednesday, February 4th: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com

SOLIDARITY

*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.

However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears! Emanuel

“It is about the very essence of America and the fundamental tenet that here, power comes from the people; here the rule of law reigns, here everyone is treated equally under the law, and here we have no kings.” Janet Mills State of the Union Speech  Tuesday January 27th, 2026

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

Good morning. I apologize for the error on Monday’s newsletter, where I neglected to update the heading for the post. Sorry for any confusion.

ICE is now in Maine in several cities. This newsletter will be sporadic for the next few weeks, so be sure to check out our Blue Sky and Instagram accounts for current info.

Meanwhile, I will post links to resources on our rights that pertain to these brutal and illegal actions.

Following this newsletter is today’s Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta – the daily action along with a link to his great list of important actions and information. Today’s Top Action requests we call our senators to tell them to vote “no” on even more funding for DHS and ICE, especially in light of the recent murders of Americans by ICE agents in Minneapolis.

Two new actions from Hancock County Democrats:
Action 200: NO MORE ICE (1/26)
Action 201: MAINE legislation 1/26-1/30 (1/26)
More Hancock County Democrats actions are found here.

Also, a new action from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance, (1/26) on calling for elected Republicans to stop the insanity, blocking increased funding for ICE and CBP, and other items. 
More BCCA actions here.

A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!

And THANK YOU to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund! Planning events and maintaining the website and email list take money, so these donations are appreciated!

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Current News:

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Weekly Vigils in the
Bangor Area

*****
Tuesdays
Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor 11:00 am

*****
TODAY!
Wednesdays
Weekly Orono Vigil in the town center,
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.  
*****
NEW WEEKLY THURSDAY VIGIL
At the Federal Building in Bangor
3:00 p.m.

Based on the success of the recent protest, this is now a regular vigil every Thursday to keep Trump’s lawlessness and outrages before the public.
*****

Fridays
Bangor Visibility Brigade

The week finishes with two highway overpass actions! There is the Visibility Brigade on the Essex Street I-95 overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!

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ICE IN MAINE RESOURCES

From Indivisible Cumberland County, we have the following:

The ICE surge is now happening in Maine What do we know? We understand that the ICE operation in Maine will be an extension of what’s happening in Minnesota, where the administration has been targeting Somali immigrant communities and refugee communities in furtherance of a fraud narrative. We expect an enforcement operation will heavily focus on Lewiston in particular, as well as Portland, but that does not mean it will be contained to those areas. We understand some immigration agents have already arrived in Maine, and we are expecting many more in the coming days.  The potential focus on Somali immigrants does not mean other immigrant communities in Maine won’t be targeted. And the potential focus on refugees does not mean people with other immigration statuses won’t be targeted. Partners in Minnesota report that while there is a focus on refugees and Somali immigrants, people are being profiled and indiscriminately targeted while out in public. What information should I share on social media? Please do not share information that will cause needless fear for immigrant communities at this already-stressful time. As always, only share verified, accurate information. ILAP, the ACLU of Maine, and the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Maine School of Law have put together this resource if you are looking for accurate Know Your Rights and other materials to share with your networks:  What rights do immigrants have?All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. These include: –The right not to open the door to your home to ICE, unless the agent has a signed judicial warrant. –The right to ask an ICE officer, “Am I free to leave?” –The right not to answer an immigration officer’s questions and to tell an immigration officer, “I choose not to say anything.”Importantly, even if someone exercises their rights, ICE may ignore them and still detain them. If ICE tries to detain someone, they should do their best to stay calm and not run away or resist arrest. Learn more What do I do if I see immigration enforcement officers? Make sure you know your rights regarding filming an ICE arrest or encounter: –Filming Immigration Enforcement in the U.S. -Report what you’ve seen to Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline at 207-544-9989. –Complete this form if you believe an immigration officer has violated someone’s rights. How do I make sure my business, school, or place of worship is prepared for ICE enforcement? Learn more here. What do I do if someone in my community is detained? -What if my loved one is detained? Know Your Rights: What to Do if You or a Loved One is Detained. -How can I find my detained loved one? Track detained person’s location.What if my loved one is detained at Cumberland County Jail (ME), Two Bridges Regional Jail (ME), or Strafford County Correctional Facility (NH)? Complete this form. -What if my loved one is detained at Plymouth County Correctional Facility (MA) or Wyatt Detention Facility (RI)? Complete this form. -How can I or someone I know who is detained obtain financial help (bail, bond, commissary, etc.)? Visit the Maine Immigrant Resource Hub. Based on what we know now, how can communities respond? –Support Lewiston: On-the ground support will be needed in Lewiston. Make sure to obtain permits if needed for protests and take all steps to comply with local laws and remain peaceful. Use visuals and photos and amplify on social media and to the press. However, please be cautious about sharing photos of people’s faces without consent and take other steps necessary to protect each other. –Document ICE Activity: Minneapolis organizations report that in addition to enforcement against refugees and Somali immigrants, other people on the street are being profiled and indiscriminately targeted. Strategize on ways to help keep people safe.  ***Make sure you know your rights regarding filming an ICE arrest or encounter: Filming Immigration Enforcement in the U.S. ***Report what you’ve seen to Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline at 207-544-9989. ***Complete this form if you believe an immigration officer has violated someone’s rights. ***Share footage with the press as is strategic and consider the consent and safety of people you’re filming. Encourage Maine Businesses Not to Serve or Otherwise Welcome Immigration Agents: Talk to businesses in Lewiston, Portland, and beyond and encourage them not to serve ICE agents and to post signs of solidarity with immigrant communities in business windows. Take care not to draw particular attention to places where noncitizens might be. Organize Donations to the Maine Solidarity Fund: https://www.mainesolidarity.org/ Maine Home for All Campaign: Last year ILAP launched the Maine Home for All campaign to spread a clear message that everyone deserves to feel safe, be with family, and build the life they want here in Maine. Unbranded graphics for this campaign are available here to be used in the days ahead. Solidarity signs from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center are available here. Print and Distribute KYR Information: -Know Your Rights materials can be posted in public places and left at businesses and other locations with permission. Take care not to draw particular attention to places where noncitizens might be. -Maine ICE Watch Hotline multilingual small flyers, large poster, small poster ***Know Your Rights summaries: *****If ICE Stops You In Public *****If ICE Comes to Your Home *****Red Cards here (Note: community organizers should print cards themselves or use a local print shop) *****Know Your Rights Filming ICE here

ACLU of Maine
Know Your Rights:
Customs and Border Patrol and the 100-Mile Border Zone

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects people from random and arbitrary stops and searches. But U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which includes U.S. Border Patrol, operates broadly in border areas.

The agency claims authority to conduct operations as far as 100 miles from the U.S. border, which includes international land borders and the U.S. coastline. All of Maine is within this 100-mile zone, and CBP claims the power to conduct patrols and operations across the entire state. However, you still have rights, and there are important legal limitations on what CBP can do.

Read more here in the ACLU of Maine site.

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FROM MoveOn:

We have two major tools to rein in Trump and ICE. First, funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which houses ICE, runs out on January 30. Republicans in Congress need Democratic votes to fund ICE—since appropriations bills must clear 60 votes in the Senate.

Democrats have real leverage. They must use it. We cannot allow them to squander it—again. Not now.

Second, we must keep taking to the streets—loudly, urgently, and peacefully—to demand that ICE get out of our communities, and we need leaders in every corner of American society to join and quickly grow our movement.

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Governor Mills’ Statement on Potential Federal Law Enforcement Operations in Maine

On January 14th, Governor Mills issued a statement concerning ICE activity here in Maine. Click here to see her statement on Vimeo.

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Upcoming Events:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TOMORROW EVENING
Jordan Wood in Orono
Town Hall at the
Orono Public Library
Thursday, 1/29/26

About this event

Orono! Democratic House Candidate Jordan Wood is coming to meet you. We’ll be at the Orono Public Library. Come out to meet Jordan, learn why he’s the strongest candidate to defeat Paul LePage, and hear about what his plans as your next Congressman: sweeping campaign finance reform, passing the Ultra-Millionaire Wealth Tax, enacting universal childcare and addressing the affordability crisis head on.

Bring your friends and family!

Register here on the Mobilize site.

Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Event begins: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm; 
Doors Open: 5:15 pm

Location: Orono Public Library 
39 Pine St Orono, ME 04473
Here We Go Map

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Candlelight Vigil for
Alex Pretti, RN,
and all others harmed by ICE
Bangor, Friday, 1/30

Please join National Nurses United for a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti, RN and all others harmed by ICE during their week of action.

This Friday, 1/30/26, at 5pm in front of the Federal Building in Bangor.

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Food AND Medicine
Annual Meeting 
THIS Saturday
1/31/26, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
with Lunch at Noon
(lots of fun!)

FAM’s 2026 Annual Meeting, in person is best, but you can also Zoom if needed; the Zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting to those who register for the Zoom. RSVP is required to attend. FAM members will have an opportunity to elect new board members and vote on proposed bylaws changes. 

FAM membership is NOT required to attend, so if you aren’t a member but want to get to know us better, come to the meeting. We love to meet new people!

The program will start promptly at 9am, and we’ll have lunch together at Noon. 

Location: The Food AND Medicine Solidarity Center in Brewer
20 Ivers Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Here We Go Map Here.

RSVP Here!

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NEXT NO KINGS PROTEST
MARCH 28, 2026

In 2025, millions of Americans came together in nonviolent protest to oppose the growing authoritarian actions of the Trump administration and affirm that this nation belongs to its people, not to kings. Since then, people have continued to rise up nonviolently against the Trump administration’s ongoing brutality and abuses of power, including the latest escalation in Minnesota. The No Kings Coalition is activating an immediate and ongoing nationwide digital organizing effort leading up to our next mass mobilization on March 28, including a flagship event in the Twin Cities.

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Other News:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Write a letter to the editor!

Letters to the editor are published regularly in the local newspapers from Mainers who support the brutal tactics of the authoritarian Trump regime. Write a letter to set the record straight. Click the button to go to the Bangor Daily News “Submit a letter or column” page, the Portland Press Herald “Letters to the editor” page, and the “Letter to the Editor” page at the Ellsworth American.

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Join Indivisible Bangor!

Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and visibilty actions or be a peacekeeper? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing?  Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! Your level of involvement is up to you!

Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!

New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings, which will resume after the holidays!

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Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry

Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash.  Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.

Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!

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Make Some Calls!

It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!

Write Some Emails!

If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.

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We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!

Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!

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Please donate! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine

Thank you for all you do! – George and Indivisible Bangor

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Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action:

Action Wednesday January 28th: Keep Calling Collins and King to Stop Extra ICE Funding + Call 3 Friends As Well + Testify on Maine’s LD 2106 

Good Morning Folks, it’s Wednesday, and extra funding for ICE goes to the Senate for a vote possibly tomorrow.  Faith leaders, asking for Collins to stop further ICE funding got arrested at a Collins office sit in yesterday in Portland. For more on this see the attached article below. Maine Calling will be hosting discussion about the ICE invasion in Maine all this week.

Top Action to Take Today:  (I am repeating yesterday’s action because this is so immediate and important)

If you haven’t done this, do this first: Contact Senators Collins and King and ask that they vote against more funding for ICE in the Continuing Resolution Bill to be voted on in the Senate this week. DHS (Department of Homeland Security) already got billions of dollars in the “Big” bill passed this summer.  Funding for DHS can get stripped out of the Continuing Resolution Bill and acted on separately so voting no doesn’t mean another complete government shutdown. 5calls.org has a demand to defund ICE entirely.

If you have done the above,  please contact three friends who might be willing to hop on the phone or email and do the same. Ask them to contact like minded friends of theirs. Yesterday the mailboxes of Angus King in both DC and Augusta were FULL and couldn’t take any more messages. I expect most of these calls were in favor of stopping ICE and DHS funding in this appropriation.

Finally, if you have done that – try this from Chop Wood, Carry Water – “Let’s call John Thune in his capacity as Senate Majority Leader. (202) 224-2321 or (605) 225-8823 or (605) 334-9596 or (605) 348-7551. Obviously the DC number is best but if you can’t get through do use one of the others!   We can say something like: “My name is ______ and I’m an American citizen from [state]. I’m calling Senator Thune in his capacity as Senate Majority Leader to ask him to please strip the DHS funding bill out and make it a standalone bill so the other appropriations bills can be passed and the DHS bill can be reworked.”

For “More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth” from Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action (1/28), click here.

For the full text of Tuesday’s (1/27) Daily, click here.

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  

As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 

~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

Call/write Senators King and Collins to support extending the ACA tax credits which will be voted on next week in the Senate. The Maine People’s Alliance makes this really easy through their communications system, go here. If you wish to write your own note or call, their contact information is below in the Contact Information part of this email.

ICE related ActionsThursday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here .  We have an ACTION TOOLKIT on this bill here We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch.  Contact your local Representative and Senator to support this bill, and send testimony to the hearing, or plan to be there to testify in person.

Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey has started an ICE tip-line Citizens are urged to report intimidating and excessive federal enforcement behavior to CitizenReporting.OAG@maine.gov. “

Emailers should be advised that any content sent may be subject to public dissemination under Maine’s Freedom of Access Laws.”

ICE is here primarily in Lewiston and Portland. They won’t talk about their “mission” and the Bangor Daily News reports increased arrests in both towns.  The Maine Immigrant’s  Rights Coalition has set up a resource hub on responding to ICE.  Think about what your risk tolerance is and then activate – you could get ICE verifier and de-escalation training, you could support NO Mask in Maine legislation, you could help your local organizers bring food to families who are not leaving home right now, and, offer to take their kids to school. Lots of resources below. If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine:207 544 9989. You can also text them a photo of what you believe to be an ICE vehicle, or any ICE actions in your area.

ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.

Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster. No extra funding for ICE. Call Collins to ask her to deny requests for more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. See above

Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the  deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states and now in Maine. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem.  For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.

There are now 140 co-sponsors of a bill to impeach Krist Noem, Head of the Department of Homeland Security. 

Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.If you want to get more involved check out 

this training manual for becoming an ICE verifier.

The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here. 

Other resist ICE resources: Resources from the Democracy Security Project:  Printable De-Escalation Pocket Guide  Printable Protest Pocket Guide       Other DSP Resources 
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: 

 Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project. 

ACA Related Actions

Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment.  For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here. This bill passed in the house!!

If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!

Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members  Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft.  If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below –  pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights.  For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist. This link is currently dead because people think the Russians took down this site after a whistleblower released the names of 4500 immigration law enforcement personnel. For the full story go here.

Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)

Mutual Aid

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.”  Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country. Activate Maine also has a Mutual Aid page with lots of resources.

Heating Assistance:  If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were  involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.

Insurance Crisis:  If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent.  If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.

ICE Related Mutual Aid: Both documented and undocumented immigrants are staying home in Maine, scared to leave the house to go shopping, bring their children to school, go to Dr’s appointments etc. You can help go here to find out how.

Arts and Politics!

If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art!  (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)

Research!

Learn more about Chenoweth’s 3.5% rule – go to one or more of these links: Wikipedia:    BBCHarvard:

The Resource Alliance . (Thank you Beth for these links!)

GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS  (just pick one!)

• Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here. 
• Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:  Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.

State Wide Actions

• (Calendar March 28th for the next NO KINGS national mobilization)From the Maine People’s Alliance: Next week (on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm) the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here . We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch!  
• More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities.  Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
• Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730  (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices)  Energy, Utilities & Technology  Public Hearing:  Here is a list of talking points and more info.
• Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot. 
• Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat.   Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here.  Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.

Find Your State Senator: By name:

Here , By district: Here

Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here

New:

For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go  here

For links to US Legislative Calendars go here

Check complete bill listing  here.                                                     
Find the text of any bill here                                                                                      

Instructions for testifying are here 

LOCAL ACTIONS: 

 Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area.  To sign up: go here. Keep your calendars open for a NOTTHISPRESIDENT’s Day February 16th, 11:30 to 1 right here in Waterville. Register for it here.

There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.   

Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English?  To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline  in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989Tuesday, January 27th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville  Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025! 

Wednesday, January 28th: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville,  Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard  at recordconnection@gmail.com 
First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County.

Sunday, February 1st : 1:00 (and every Sunday) Bridge on KMD by the CVS Waterville: Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.) SOLIDARITY*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!

*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom. 

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears! Emanuel

I release you, my beautiful and terrible fear. I release you. You were my beloved and hate twin, but now, I don’t know you as myself..But come here, Fear. / I am alive! / And you are so afraid / of dying.  

~~Joy Harjo

With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!  As always, throw a little sand in their gears!  ~~Emanuel

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It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative: 
By name: Here
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!