Two Maine Bills Would Make it Harder to Vote

The Maine legislature is considering two bills that would make it harder for some Mainers to vote. 

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ACLU and Other Groups Challenge Trump Immigration Ban After Refugees Detained at Airports Following Executive Order

UPDATE: Mr. Darweesh, according to Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), has been released. Mr. Alshawi and others remain in dentention. The ACLU, along with several groups, filed a lawsuit this morning on behalf of two Iraqi men who were en route to the United States on immigrant visas when President Trump issued an executive order banning many Muslims from entering the country.One of the men, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was traveling on an Iraqi special Immigrant Visa and had worked as an electrical engineer and contractor for the U.S. government from 2003–2010. Brandon Friedman, a former Obama administration official who commanded a platoon during the invasion of Iraq, said Mr. Darweesh had worked for him as an interpreter. He said on Twitter yesterday that Mr. Darweesh “spent years keeping U.S. soldiers alive in combat in Iraq.”The other, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, had been granted a Follow to Join Visa. His wife and 7-year-old son are lawful permanent residents residing in Houston, Texas,

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On Donald Trump’s First Full Day in Office, Millions Showed the President That ‘Dissent Is Patriotic’

By Stacy Sullivan, Associate Director of Strategic Communications, ACLUOriginally posted at aclu.orgAs inauguration ceremonies commenced for President Trump, I was aboard the Amtrak 2117 from New York to Washington, D.C. Almost everyone on the train was female, and there was no need to ask anyone where they were going. The train was a river of pink pussy hats. Amy Schumer was in the next car over, with a running commentary on the inaugural, which a fellow passenger was streaming.When we arrived in Washington’s Union Station, our pink hats met a smattering of red caps. Trump supporters, fresh from inaugural ceremonies, roamed the corridors in their trademark “Make America Great Again” hats. To be sure, Friday, Janua

Sign at Women's March in Augusta that reads "We the people."

Voter ID Creates Many Problems, Solves None

Ruthelle Frank is a resident of Brokaw, Wisconsin, where she has served on the Village Board since 1996. She has voted in every election since 1948.

Polling both sign

ACLU Announces Support for Yes on 1: Regulate and Tax Marijuana

The ACLU of Maine joins our colleagues around the country who support marijuana legalization, and we are proud to announce our support for Question 1. 

Yes on Question 1 press conference

Gov. LePage’s Binder of Black and Brown People Is Actually Pretty White

The following was orginally posted at aclu.org 

Text from ACLU public records request for govenor's binder of drug arrests

Gov. LePage, Show Us The Binder

The following was originally posted at aclu.org.

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Legislators Must Use Votes to Reject Racism

Until this week, the governor's implicit message on Maine's drug problem was that black people were the problem and white people the innocent victims. On Tuesday, that racist message became explicit. This administration wants Mainers to believe – even though&

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GUEST POST: Experiencing racism in Maine

The other day we received a letter from someone who read our op-ed in the Bangor Daily News. We were so moved by the letter, and felt so strongly that others should hear its message, that we asked the writer if we could publish it here. 

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