Welcoming and Supporting People Seeking Asylum: Lessons Learned in New York City and Portland, Maine

As part of a multi-city project, the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) recently went to New York City (NYC) and Portland, Maine, to see how these cities are responding to the needs of people seeking asylum or other forms of protection in the US. "We saw firsthand that beyond having their immediate basic needs met, people seeking asylum need stability in their new communities and help with navigating the complex and often lengthy asylum process,” says the WRC. “What we learned can inform state and local policy and program design in towns and cities around the US where people seeking asylum are arriving, as well as federal policy and funding approaches.”

The WRC spoke with ILAP's Senior Project Attorney Catherine N. Lindgren and Immigrant Children’s Project Attorney Maggie Loeffelholz, incorporating their reflections into the final report alongside the experiences of other organizations and asylum seekers. 

The report’s final recommendations include: 

  • Federal funding sources to state and local governments and community organizations providing housing and services in destination communities. 

  • Close, comprehensive coordination between the federal government and state and local governments and community organizations. 

  • Legal and policy changes that provide expedited access to work permits and lawful status for people seeking asylum in U.S. 

Advocacy in Action, Advocacy ReportILAP MaineAdvocacy, Asylum