WESTBROOK — As employees trickle down the stairs of the American Roots factory, founder and co-owner Ben Waxman says goodbye to each by name. The workers exit the building and make their way to their cars through links of volunteers who gathered to assuage their lingering fear of federal immigration agents.
A human wall, made up of local volunteers and religious leaders, has been standing guard at the door of American Roots as the employees arrive and depart each day since Jan. 20, when an enhanced immigration enforcement operation began in Maine. People who appeared to be federal immigration agents had been seen in the parking lot and on the street near the factory, volunteers said.
Despite U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ statement Thursday that U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement had ended its scaled-up efforts in Maine, the fear among immigrant communities remains. The volunteers forming the human wall said they would stand watch outside the factory for as long as it takes for the immigrant workers to feel completely safe walking to their cars after work.
American Roots, a Westbrook-based company that makes clothes for union laborers, takes pride in its large community of immigrant workers. According to Waxman, around 70% of American Roots’ workforce is made up of new Mainers, all of whom have legal status to work in the U.S.
When rumors of a surge in federal operations in Maine first started circulating, employees at American Roots grew concerned. Waxman reached out to religious leaders in the area for assistance. He knew how important faith and religion were to many of his employees, and sought a way to make them feel safer each day. What started as a simple plea for help soon became the “human wall.”
The Rev. Jane Field, executive director of the Maine Council of Churches, said she and her fellow religious leaders immediately worked together to help Waxman and the employees at American Roots.
“Lo and behold, we had a priest, a rabbi and a minister walk into the meeting that morning,” she said.
Field said the amount of volunteers outside the building became more of a movement than she ever expected.
“One woman in a house down the street saw us one day and came right over,” said Field. “She asked us how she could join, and we welcomed her with open arms.”
Gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree joined the effort on Thursday afternoon in a show of support. As a friend of Waxman and his wife, Whitney, Pingree said she admires their commitment to protecting their workers and standing up for immigrants.
“This is just an unbelievable example of just Mainers coming together to actually stand up for what they believe in and to stand up against ICE,” Pingree said.
In the past two weeks, people across the state have stepped up to deliver groceries, walk children to school and carpool to work to support their immigrant neighbors. When workers at American Roots shared their fears about going to grocery stores to buy food for their families, a truckfull of food, diapers and other staples arrived at the factory — donations from congregations in Westbrook.
“I’m proud of the people willing to stand up to protect their neighbors, but it’s outrageous that we have to do this,” Pingree said.
While Pingree said it’s positive news to hear that ICE is ending the enhanced operation in Maine, many are still concerned and waiting to see evidence before saying that it’s safe.
“People are very tentative,” Pingree said. “It’s being seen as good news but not a complete relief.”
She hopes ICE activity will start to wane, but ultimately, the agency needs to be held accountable and stop its operations in every state in the country, she said.
As volunteers ensure the safety of employees as they get to their cars, Waxman continues to bid them goodbye as the last few head out the door.
“These folks,” he said between farewells, “they’re family. There’s no American Roots without them.”
