This week at the ACLU of Maine: Anti-abortion bills are officially defeated in Augusta, we continue defending our client against unlawful deportation orders, and we're joining the community to rally for our rights.

Maine House and Senate Reject Anti-Abortion Bills

This week, the Maine House of Representatives and Senate rejected eight anti-abortion bills, ensuring our state continues to protect the right to access abortion care. These victories send an important message to our lawmakers, and they didn’t happen by chance. We are so grateful to the people who emailed and called their legislators, gave testimony at the State House, spread the word, and more. Thank you for defending reproductive freedom and helping keep Maine a place where all people can make their own decisions about their own bodies.

Federal Court Allows Maine Man to Pursue Full Immigration Appeal

This week, a federal judge postponed the habeas hearing of Eyidi Ambila, ensuring that he will not be deported while pursuing his case in immigration court. Mr. Ambila has lived in the U.S. since age seven and has no current connection to his birth country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. The court agreed that there were still “many unanswered questions” about Mr. Ambila's case and whether the government has the ability to deport him. Mr. Ambila remains in ICE custody while he pursues is case with the Board of Immigration Appeals, arguing for protection under the Convention Against Torture. 

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Join us Friday at the No Kings! Nationwide Day of Defiance

Find the ACLU of Maine this Saturday at the No Kings! rally in Portland! We’ll be joining Indivisible Greater Portland, Indivisible Cumberland County, and Indivisible Southern Maine this Saturday, June 14, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at Lincoln Park in Portland. This rally is part of a national mobilization to reject authoritarian power grabs and defend democracy. We’ll be there to stand in solidarity, hand out resources, and connect with our community.

Event details here

This week at the ACLU of Maine: A key data privacy bill advances, march with the ACLU in the Portland Pride parade, and more upcoming events. 

Privacy Bill Advances, But the Fight Isn’t Over

LD 1822, a landmark data privacy bill that would rein in tech companies and give Mainers control over their personal data, won a majority vote in the Judiciary Committee this week. This is a big step forward, and it wouldn’t have happened without our supporters speaking up. The bill now moves to the full House and Senate for a vote. That means lawmakers still need to hear from their constituents. Add your name now to urge your representative and senator to support LD 1822.

 

Why it matters: Right now, powerful technology companies collect, analyze, and sell our personal data – often without our knowledge or consent. That data can be used to track our movements, discriminate against us, or expose us to identity theft and government surveillance.

LD 1822 would:

• Limit data collection to only what’s necessary for a service
• Protect biometric data like facial scans and fingerprints
• Defend civil rights from biased, AI-generated decisions
• Empower consumers with the right to know, correct, and delete their data

The committee vote was close, and several lawmakers said your messages made a difference. Let’s keep the pressure on.

Add Your Name

March with Us at Portland Pride!

Want to join us at Portland Pride? We’re looking for volunteers to walk with us in the parade, hold signs, and hand out resources. It’s a fun, joyful way to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and support equality for all. The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. in Monument Square on Saturday June 21st, and we’ll march together to Deering Oaks Park, where the festival continues all afternoon.

Sign up using the form below, and we’ll follow up with more details soon.

March with Us

Come See Us in the Community

Aside from Portland Pride, there are a number of upcoming opportunities to see the ACLU of Maine out and about in the coming weeks, and even more events are in the works. A brief rundown of what we have planned so far for June and July: 

• June 7, 2025|12:00–4:00 p.m.: Hallowell Pride
• June 14, 2025 | 12:00--1:30 p.m.: No Kings! National Day of Action
• June 21, 2025 | 1:00–5:00 p.m.: Portland Pride 
• June 28, 2025 | 10:00--4:00 p.m.: Bangor Pride 
• July 8, 2025 | 6:00–7:00 PM: Webinar: Supreme Court Decisions 2025
• July 10, 2025 | 9:00--11:00 a.m.: ACLU at Bev's Cafe

Get more information and view all upcoming events for more info by clicking below!

ACLU in the Community