The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com
Rep. Mana Abdi represents Maine House District 95, which includes part of Lewiston. Rep. Deqa Dhalac represents House District 120, which includes part of South Portland. Rep. Yusuf Yusuf represents House District 118, which includes part of Portland.
The last few days have been painful. Hearing our Somali-American neighbors singled out and attacked, directly or indirectly, is horrifying. As Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is stripped from more countries, the pattern is becoming impossible to ignore. This moment is bigger than any one politician or any one community.
What we are witnessing is part of a coordinated effort to destabilize immigrant, Indigenous and other communities of color, undermine democratic norms and reshape the fabric of America through exclusion and extrajudicial force.
We, as Americans, stand for something different. We believe in dignity, fairness, and the idea that people are more than the documents they carry. From Ellis Island, where millions arrived seeking safety and a new beginning, to communities across Maine today, our nation has been built by people who came here with hope and courage, and who were given a chance to belong.
We must also be honest about who is being targeted right now. The vast majority of people affected by this administration’s immigration policies are law-abiding individuals who are legitimately working to attain citizenship. Many have called America their home for decades, raising families, contributing to our economy, and strengthening our communities.
Reckless rhetoric does not stay confined to speeches or screens. It spills into real life. Dehumanizing language can embolden people with no governmental authority to harass, intimidate or threaten our neighbors. There is no place in Maine or in America for vigilantism, racial profiling, or community members taking immigration enforcement into their own hands.
As elected officials entrusted to serve the people of Maine, we have a responsibility to speak clearly and without hesitation. Our communities deserve leaders who will call out dangerous rhetoric, defend democratic principles, and refuse to let fear or dehumanization dictate public policy.
Every person in this nation, regardless of immigration status, is entitled to due process. That is not optional. It is a core American principle. Today, TPS holders are being targeted. If we remain silent, we normalize a politics that can, and will, be turned against others.
We cannot allow anyone’s humanity to be defined by their paperwork or their status. Our neighbors, colleagues, and friends who hold TPS deserve stability, dignity, and the right to live free from fear. That same dignity belongs to every Mainer.
An attack on Somali Americans, on TPS holders, or on any immigrant community is an attack on all Americans. Maine is stronger when we stand together, reject dehumanization, and insist on a future rooted in safety, fairness, and shared belonging.