LighthouseME Launch

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC), representing over 100 organizations across Maine, will be unveiling a new online tool for connecting people to services and volunteer opportunities based on calls to our Hotline service. The tool, known as “Lighthouse ME,” will be presented to the public on June 3rd, 11am in Good Theater at Steven’s Square, 631 Stevens Avenue, Portland, Maine.

The presentation will introduce the tool to Hotline volunteers, immigrant advocates, and service providers. Members of the media and elected representatives are also invited to learn more about the tool, which will be available to the public for improving access to community services and mutual aid groups.

The site contains information regarding where Hotline calls are occurring, the nature of the calls, and background data provided from ICE through public records obtained via FOIA lawsuits.

The tool has been developed in response to the continued escalation of immigration enforcement across the state, which continues to separate parents from children and employees from their workplaces, causing an overall negative impact to quality of life and the state economy in Maine.

This tool, which has been under development since the January surge, comes as our Hotline and community networks have reported an uptick in detentions over recent weeks, paralleling the steady rise over the past year.