As concerns over immigration enforcement continue to ripple through immigrant communities across Maine, advocates have launched a new online platform they say will help families find trusted information, access resources, document enforcement activity, and better understand the policies affecting their lives.
The platform, called Lighthouse Maine, was publicly unveiled on June 3 in Portland before an audience of more than 75 hotline volunteers, immigrant advocates, service providers, community leaders, and elected officials.
Developed by the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC), a statewide network representing more than 100 organizations, Lighthouse Maine combines several tools under one digital umbrella: an immigrant defense hotline, a multilingual resource hub, a verified sightings map, data dashboards analyzing immigration enforcement trends, and reports intended to inform policymakers and the public.
For immigrant families living with uncertainty, organizers say the goal is simple: make reliable information easier to find and easier to trust.
“We witnessed so much confusion on people not knowing where to get information and what we call verified information,” said Mufalo Chitam, executive director of MIRC, during an interview with Amjambo Africa. “Is this really happening in our community? Where are we seeing ICE? Who has been arrested? How can they get support? What we experienced helped us figure out that there is a gap in terms of information. We needed one place where people could get verified information and resources to support their loved ones if they are impacted.”
A response to growing fear
The launch comes at a time when immigration enforcement has become a source of anxiety for many immigrant families across Maine.
Advocates say that while public attention often rises during large-scale enforcement operations, concerns continue long after headlines fade.
During the event, speakers repeatedly emphasized that fear remains widespread in immigrant communities and that many families continue to worry about detentions, arrests, and the possibility of separation.
Chitam described the emotional toll that enforcement actions can have on everyday life.
“There is increased fear,” she said. “Summer is when people in Maine, all of us, go out and enjoy time with our families. But community members now have to be told you can’t use this street, you can’t be in this location, you cannot go to church. Kids’ schools are closing, and parents are asking how children can play safely when there is a fear that their parents could be detained.”
According to MIRC, calls to its immigrant defense hotline surged following a major federal enforcement operation earlier this year. While call volumes later declined, advocates say they have recently begun increasing again. “In the last two weeks, we’ve seen an increased number of people being arrested,” Chitam said. “Every other day, we have two or three people arrested. ICE is still arresting people, but they’re doing it in a very quiet way. We can see that through our hotline.”
Reports of arrests continue
Recent reports received by Amjambo Africa appear to support those concerns. Over the last two months, Amjambo Africa has received information regarding eight separate cases in which immigrants were reportedly arrested in public locations in Maine.
The most recent case reportedly occurred during the final week of May outside a courthouse in Lewiston. Witnesses who spoke with Amjambo Africa said that four of the eight individuals were arrested while attending court proceedings. According to those witnesses, the arrests occurred shortly after attorneys or interpreters had left the individuals.
Amjambo Africa could not independently verify the accounts through federal authorities. However, immigrant advocates say courthouse arrests and other enforcement actions near legal proceedings create fear among people attempting to comply with legal requirements.
During the Lighthouse Maine launch, organizers repeatedly stressed that one objective of the platform is to help communities distinguish verified information from rumors while documenting patterns that may otherwise go unnoticed.
One place for information
According to organizers, Lighthouse Maine was designed to bring together resources that previously existed across multiple organizations and websites.
The platform can be translated into nearly 30 languages, including French, Spanish, Arabic, Lingala, and several other languages spoken by immigrant communities throughout Maine. “Information is only accessible when you can understand it,” one presenter explained during a demonstration of the website.
The site includes practical guidance on knowing one’s rights, preparing family emergency plans, finding legal and community resources, and supporting loved ones who may be detained.
A key feature is the immigrant defense hotline, where callers can report immigration enforcement activity, seek referrals, and connect with community resources. Organizers stressed that the hotline does not provide legal advice but instead connects people with qualified legal organizations and service providers. “We do not collect personal information, and we do not provide legal advice,” Chitam said. “We refer people to organizations that specialize in immigration law and legal assistance.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The platform also includes a map that allows users to view verified historical reports of immigration enforcement activity. Organizers emphasized that the map is not intended to provide real-time tracking but rather to document and verify incidents after trained volunteers have reviewed them.
“We want to make sure that we’re spreading accurate information,” a speaker explained during the event. “Every report goes through a vetting process before it is published.”
Turning data into evidence
Perhaps the most ambitious component of Lighthouse Maine is its effort to collect and analyze data related to immigration enforcement.
Ruben Torres, MIRC’s advocacy and policy manager, said the project grew out of efforts to better understand the impact of a federal enforcement operation that took place earlier this year.
“The platform and the data analysis that we’ve been developing has been a month-long process,” Torres told Amjambo Africa. “We started analyzing apprehension data and realized there was an opportunity to do a deep dive into ICE’s own data and produce a Maine-specific report on the impacts and how enforcement played out here.”
The coalition used information obtained through federal Freedom of Information Act requests and worked with partners to analyze immigration detention and arrest records.
The resulting report, which is available through Lighthouse Maine, examines patterns in immigration enforcement and seeks to compare official narratives with available data.
During the launch, speakers argued that data can play a critical role in promoting transparency and accountability. “One of the central issues is not just that violence happens, but that oppressors often control the narrative, the records, the investigation, the analysis and the consequence,” one speaker told the audience. “Independent data collection and documentation matter because that’s what allows us to distinguish between official claims and material realities.”
According to organizers, the platform seeks to transform individual stories into broader patterns that can inform public discussion and policy decisions.
“It is easier to deny what is not identified,” the speaker added. “Data allows us to turn individual instances into visible patterns.”
Community-based information
Advocates say information collected through the hotline provides a unique window into what immigrant families are experiencing.
Chitam described the hotline as both a support service and a way of understanding emerging community needs. “When there is increased enforcement, we see an increase in calls,” she said. “The hotline becomes almost like a temperature check. We can sense the fear that exists in the community, but we can also identify gaps in services.”
During previous enforcement surges, callers frequently sought assistance with legal fees, bond payments, transportation and food assistance, she said.
The information helps organizations identify where resources are most urgently needed. “Without data, you cannot support a community,” Chitam said. “Data informs where the needs are, where the gaps are, and what resources are needed.”
Recommendations for policymakers
The coalition hopes the platform will influence policy discussions at local, state, and federal levels.
Organizers unveiled several recommendations during the launch, including expanded access to legal representation, stronger labor protections for immigrant workers, increased transparency around cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and greater investment in community-based support systems.
Chitam said elected officials should view immigrant communities as an essential part of Maine’s future. “One of the biggest recommendations is making sure immigrant resource hubs can be funded,” she said.
She also emphasized the importance of employment authorization and workplace protections. “It’s very important for immigrants to be able to work,” she said. “We are asking elected officials to protect the rights of immigrants and the labor laws that support immigrants who are working.”
The coalition plans to present its findings to elected officials across Maine and beyond.
“We are taking this on the road,” Chitam told attendees. “If you are running for office or already in office, these recommendations show what immigrants need today. We now have proof of concept showing what happens when immigrants don’t have work permits or jobs. Businesses are affected. Schools are affected. Social services are affected.”
Torres said one of his first stops after the launch would be Washington, D.C., where he planned to share the report with members of Maine’s congressional delegation.
Challenges remain
While organizers celebrated the launch, they acknowledged the difficulties of reaching communities that are increasingly fearful.
Chitam noted that rumors alone can have a significant impact. “It is very challenging right now,” she said. “Someone can say there will be enforcement on a certain day and fear spreads throughout the community.”
Advocates say many immigrants are reluctant to attend public meetings or training sessions because they fear being identified or targeted. As a result, organizations increasingly rely on community health workers, faith leaders, and trusted local networks to distribute information.
“We’re seeing that when somebody is directly impacted, communities become more open to learning about their rights and where they can find support,” Chitam said.
A community effort
Organizers repeatedly emphasized that Lighthouse Maine was created through collaboration.
Torres said coalition members, volunteers, faith groups, and community organizations all contributed time and expertise to the project. “This has really been a community-wide effort,” he said.
According to MIRC, private philanthropic funding and volunteer labor supported the development of the platform. No public funds were used in creating the website, organizers said.
A message of solidarity
One of the most emotional moments of the launch came during the public comment period, when a community member stood to thank MIRC and its partners for their work.
Identifying herself as a volunteer, community member, verifier, and candidate for public office, she expressed gratitude for what she described as a vital service to immigrant communities. “I am deeply appreciative and grateful for this work,” she said. “You have done a tremendous service for our community.” Her remarks drew applause from attendees.
The statement reflected a recurring theme throughout the event: that immigrant communities are not facing these challenges alone.
For Chitam, that message remains at the heart of Lighthouse Maine. “We see them,” she told Amjambo Africa. “We hear them, and we will continue supporting them despite the enforcement and arrests happening in our communities.”
Torres echoed that sentiment. “There are people out here who are looking out for you,” he said. “There are people willing to put their lives and their information on the line so that families have the resources they need. We are here for you, and we are going to continue fighting because there’s a reason we call it the good fight and not the easy fight.”
As immigration debates continue to shape communities across Maine and the nation, advocates hope Lighthouse Maine will become more than a website. They envision it as a public record, a resource center, and a community safeguard — one designed to ensure that immigrant families can find information, support, and visibility during a time of uncertainty.
Whether Lighthouse Maine succeeds may depend not only on the technology itself but also on the people behind it: volunteers answering hotline calls, community leaders sharing information, and families determined to support one another despite mounting challenges.
For now, advocates say the mission is straightforward: replace fear and confusion with facts, resources, and community solidarity.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the early July 2026 print edition of Amjambo Africa.
