Pastor Antonio's congregation empties as ICE arrests surge in Maine
May 20, 2026 · Maine, ME
Pastor Antonio, an African immigrant whose immigration case is pending, leads a multilingual evangelical church in southern Maine serving local African communities. Attendance has plummeted as congregants stay home out of fear of ICE arrests, with members telling him they are too scared to come in person. Antonio himself expresses concern about what could happen to him as a parent and advises parishioners to ensure their immigration papers are in order. Advocates including the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project and Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition report increased ICE activity concentrated in the Lewiston-Auburn area, with agents detaining people near their homes. Community members are reactivating informal networks to document arrests, with advocates reporting nine arrests in three weeks and at least one arrest documented near Portland.
Sources
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