Gov. Mills chosen for Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights award for standing up to Trump

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has been selected for the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights award for suing the Trump administration after the U.S. Department of Agriculture unlawfully cut school nutrition funding to the state in retaliation for Maine’s protections for transgender people.

Mills will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on June 5 alongside former Department of Justice Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer and immigration reform activist Jeanette Vizguerra. According to the Thursday announcement, the recipients “were selected for their moral courage and willingness to act on their convictions — even at great personal risk.”

Oyer was fired from her role at the Department of Justice after she refused to carry out a request from the Deputy Attorney General’s Office to restore gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, a supporter of President Donald Trump who lost his rights due to a 2011 domestic violence conviction.

Vizguerra, a nationally known immigration rights activist, was detained on March 17 and is currently being held in an immigration detention facility in Aurora, Colorado, slated for deportation.

In a press statement announcing the award, Mills said, “Throughout my career as a district attorney, attorney general, and now as governor of Maine, I have fought to uphold the constitution of my state and my country. I feel it is the responsibility of all Americans to speak in defense of their principles, for the rights of others, and for the rule of law which protects us all.” 

“As a member of the generation of Americans who were inspired by the career of Robert F. Kennedy,” she continued, “I am truly humbled and grateful for this award, which recognizes how his remarkable legacy should inspire all of us today.”

Created in 1968 to carry on the legacy of Kennedy after his assassination, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights advocates for human rights issues and pursues strategic litigation to hold governments accountable both in the U.S. and internationally. 

Kerry Kennedy, president of the organization, said in a statement that as the daughter of the former U.S. attorney general, she knows “firsthand the necessity of protecting and preserving our democracy.”

“From taking a stand against unlawful executive orders and bolstering the moral strength of the Department of Justice to advocating for vulnerable immigrants, these women have chosen to stand up for their beliefs during a time when it is increasingly difficult to do so,” she said. “I’m honored to recognize Governor Mills, Elizabeth Oyer, and Jeanette Vizguerra, and I hope that this award is a beacon of hope for others like them.”

On May 2, the State of Maine agreed to a settlement with the USDA after a federal court issued a temporary restraining order requiring the agency to unfreeze the funding. Under the agreement, the state dismissed its claims and the USDA said it will refrain from interfering with access to agency funding over alleged violations of Title IX without first following all legally required procedures. 

The U.S. Department of Justice is currently suing Maine over the state’s transgender athlete policy, which it claims violates the federal anti-discrimination law. 

The dispute dates back to Feb. 21 when Trump threatened to withhold federal funding unless Maine complies with his executive order banning transgender girls from playing girls’ sports. In response, Mills told the president, “We’re going to follow the law sir. We’ll see you in court.”

Kerry Kennedy’s brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serves the Trump administration as secretary of Health and Human Services.