PORTLAND — Groups supporting immigrants and transgender Mainers are raising funds to help with legal expenses following mass deportations and Trump administration policies on transgender rights.
The Maine Solidarity Fund is backed by the People’s Coalition for Safety and Justice, which includes Maine TransNet, Khmer Maine, Presente! Maine, Gateway Community Services Maine and others.
The goal is to raise at least $1 million to pay for bail, attorneys, and legal support for those who may be detained because of their immigration status and healthcare costs for gender affirming care for those who may no longer be able to access it, according to the fundraising page.
“The Solidary Fund was borne out of a need to find creative ways to use our community to uplift support and help protect some of Maine’s most vulnerable communities,” said Kris Pitts, co-executive director of Maine TransNet.
At the start of his second term, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for mass deportations, saying he wanted to improve safety and security for Americans.
On Tuesday, the Trump communications office detailed double-digit increases in arrests across the country by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. While the press release did not mention Maine, it highlighted news reports showing ICE arrests are up 154% in Michigan, nearly 300% in Nevada, and 123% in California.
In Maine, ICE has arrested about 100 people since Trump took office, which is about a 50% increase over 2024, according to Maine Public.
In January, Trump also declared that there are only two sexes and temporarily removed the ability for those who are transgender to choose their identity on passports and other government documents.
Pitts said fundraising efforts for the Solidarity Fund are designed to last 18 months and that the groups are still working out the details of how the money will be disbursed.
As of Wednesday, the fund had just over $21,000 from 180 supporters.
According to the fundraising page, immigrants to Maine contribute $626 million in taxes each year with many working in blueberry fields, processing shellfish or in local restaurants and hospitals.
The groups say the nearly 6,000 transgender people in Maine “are facing coordinated discrimination and attacks on their right to exist safely in our communities.”
The issue of transgender rights has played out on the state and national stage in recent months, with Democrats in the Maine Legislature rejecting several bills proposing to ban transgender girls from girls’ sports teams.
Trump also threatened to withhold all federal funds from Maine because of its policy of allowing transgender athletes to compete in high school sports. Gov. Janet Mills said she would fight the issue in court and a federal case is now pending.
Nationally, the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a Tennessee state law that bans gender affirming care for transgender minors.
However, Maine is one of 14 states with a shield law that protects access to transgender health care, according to the Movement Advancement Project.
Pitts said the Trump administration has added fear to the everyday lives of immigrants and transgender Mainers.
“I think it’s really just created this false narrative around a threat or a danger that people who belong to particularly communities pose,” Pitts said. “When we talk about ICE raids, the public narrative is that people are going after criminals who are here illegally who are causing a lot of harm. But then you look at who’s actually being targeted and its folks who are attending hearing dates for court.”
Pitts said for those who are transgender, there are concerns about losing access to gender-affirming care or changes to insurance so the care is no longer covered.
“There’s a lot of discrimination and harassment for both communities,” Pitts said. “People are having to be a lot more careful about where they go, how they operate, who they trust and so creating a trusted resource for people to pull from but also network with was really important to us.”
The Solidarity Fund can be found at presentemaine.networkforgood.com.