This week at the ACLU of Maine: We joined a federal class action lawsuit on behalf of international students, we're taking action against potential attacks on trans student athletes, and we're pushing back on ICE activity in Maine.
ACLU of Maine Files Joint Class Action to Defend International Students
We sued Trump -- again. This time, for illegally terminating the legal status of hundreds of international students.
Late last week, the ACLU of Maine joined the ACLUs of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont in a federal class action lawsuit to represent over 100 students who have had their F-1 student immigration status unlawfully and abruptly terminated.
These sudden terminations of F-1 student immigration status, which have been happening across the country since at least early March, circumvent the law and strip students of their rights to due process. The president's illegal actions are bad for students, colleges and universities, and Maine communities. One Maine student told us that after their status was abruptly terminated, they had to stop going to class and their job at a Maine-based company.
However, the Trump administration announced on Friday, April 25, that it would reinstate international students’ Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records, which are necessary for studying in the United States. The administration says it will now develop a “framework” for visa terminations. It is too soon to tell how Friday's developments may impact our lawsuit. We will need to confirm if people whose status was terminated, but who have not sued the government, have actually had their student status fully reactivated.
Friday's actions are the latest example of the destructive chaos coming from the Trump administration, which is upending lives throughout the nation – not to mention the underlying attacks on due process. That same morning, we were on a call with a Department of Justice attorney scheduling the next steps in our case against these illegal terminations. Later that afternoon, the administration claimed it would reverse course. This chaos is causing a great deal of uncertainty, keeping people from making important decisions about their lives, families, educations, and businesses – and it leaves many people fearing they may be detained or deported at any time.
We're joining this lawsuit to fight not just for immigrants' rights -- but for academic freedom, fairness, and the values that define our state.
Tell Maine Lawmakers to Stop the Attacks on Trans Students
The Maine Human Rights Act was first adopted in 1971. Lawmakers expanded it in 2005 to include gender identity under the definition of sexual orientation, ensuring all students can participate fully in school life – including school sports – without fear of discrimination. This expansion was reaffirmed by Maine voters in a referendum.
Help us tell Maine lawmakers that banning trans girls from school sports is a dangerous rollback of our state's values. We cannot afford to open the door to invasive scrutiny of children's bodies and attacks on our right to live authentically and control our own bodies.
TELL LAWMAKERS TO OPPOSE TRANS ATHLETE BANS
ACLU of Maine Testifies Against Maine Law Enforcement Supporting "Mass Deportation" Efforts
On Friday, we were in Augusta testifying against a bill that would require state and local law enforcement to support federal immigration authorities.
The bill would open up local law enforcement to expensive litigation when enforcement actions violate people's civil rights, undermine community trust in law enforcement, and incentivize racial profiling by allowing law enforcement to detain anyone suspected of being a non-citizen.
LD 1656 makes local governments accountable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, instead of Maine voters. It would take valuable resources that should be used to address local needs, and it would erode trust in local law enforcement. When police departments detain people simply due to their alleged immigration status, they create an environment in which those community members are afraid to call for help, report crimes, share evidence, or testify in trials.
The bill also exposes local law enforcement to expensive litigation and liability. To comply with federal "immigration detainer" requests, local law enforcement would be asked to imprison people without proper due process or probable cause, violating the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. Our towns cannot afford the risk of substantial legal and financial liabilities that would come as a result of illegal federal actions.
We'll keep you updated on this bill as it moves through the legislature.
Relevant Reads
- Portland Press Herald: Roux Institute student had their visa terminated, ACLU confirms
- Portland Press Herald: Maine’s public defense system gets $3.5M boost, without governor’s support
- Maine Morning Star: Lawmakers revisit bills to ensure diverse histories are taught in Maine schools