Maine HIV outbreak shows the risk of Trump’s crackdown on homelessness and drug use

Maine HIV outbreak shows the risk of Trump’s crackdown on homelessness and drug use

Advocates and homeless people gather outside Bangor City Hall in November 2024 for a 'Stop the Sweeps' rally, asking the City Council not to clear a homeless encampment with about 100 residents. The city swept the encampment in February 2025. (Photo by Needlepoint Sanctuary)Penobscot County, Maine, is grappling with the largest HIV outbreak in the state’s history. Home to Bangor, a city of roughly 32,000, the county has identified 28 new cases o…