Help Bring Fátima Home
Many of you have already seen the video circulating online. You saw Fátima being taken away. You heard her crying and screaming for help. You felt that moment in your chest. It was difficult and heartbreaking to watch, and even harder for those who love her to know she was going through that alone.
On the early morning of Friday, January 23, 2026, Fátima Lucas Henrique left her home in South Portland, Maine, before sunrise to go to work. Like so many mornings before, she was simply doing what she has always done trying to build a life through honest work and dedication.
Fátima is a Certified Nursing Assistant. She spends her days caring for others when they are weak, sick, or recovering. She gives comfort, patience, and compassion. She is the kind of person our communities depend on, even if her name is not always known.
At approximately 5:40 AM, while driving near the Avesta building in South Portland, Fátima was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Her car was left behind. For hours, her family and friends had no idea where she was or if she was safe. The silence was terrifying.
When she was finally able to call, she was scared and overwhelmed. Later that night, she called again to say she had been transferred to Boston. She was crying. She said she was pressured to sign a document she did not understand and begged again for an attorney.
We are not criminals. We are not here to cause harm. We are here to work, to care for others, and to make our dreams come true. What you saw in that video was not just one woman being taken away. It was dignity being stripped from someone who has given so much of herself to others.
We are fighting for dignity. We are fighting for fairness. We are fighting to bring Fátima home.
The funds raised will help cover immigration legal fees, emergency expenses, and basic support during this devastating time. Legal help is expensive and time sensitive, but it is the only path forward.
Even one dollar matters. Truly. If you cannot donate, please share this fundraiser. Speak her name. Stand with her.
Please help us bring Fátima home.
Thank you for your compassion, your solidarity, and your humanity.