The Golden Door: April 2020
Legal and Policy Issues
We are closely monitoring state and federal immigration law and policy. Please check our social media accounts for more frequent updates.
President Trump Issues Xenophobic Immigration Ban
ILAP Statement Condemning April 22, 2020, Executive Order
On April 22, the President issued an Executive Order that bars certain immigrants, including parents, siblings, and adult children of US Citizens as well as spouses and children of lawful permanent residents, from entering the United States as immigrants for at least the next sixty days. ILAP strongly condemns this order.
The new policy has nothing to do with its purported aim of protecting our public health and the economy. Rather, the order enacts a goal advanced by the administration for the past three years - slashing family reunification. This order will do nothing to make our country safer or our economy more prosperous. Rather, it will separate thousands of families and damage our economy by blocking entrepreneurs and job creators.
The Executive Order is yet another in a long string of attacks on immigrants including the Muslim Ban, erosion of asylum protections, increased immigration enforcement, and the expanded public charge rule. The President must rescind this anti-immigrant Executive Order.
More About the Immigration Ban
The Immigration Ban is set to last at least 60 days, until June 22, 2020, but allows for an extension. People who will be impacted by the ban are the following people who are applying for a green card from outside of the United States: parents, siblings, and adult children of US citizens; spouses and children of green card holders; entrants to the diversity visa lottery; and applicants for employment-based green cards.
Despite the broad nature of this ban, it does not apply to everyone. It does not apply to: US citizens, spouses and children under 21 years old of US citizens, green card holders, anyone who is applying for a green card from within the US, asylum seekers and refugees, and many others. ILAP’s full summary can be found here.
Advocates are fighting this ban in court.
Over 40 Organizations Sign Letter Urging COVID-19 Relief For Maine Immigrant Families
Over 40 Maine organizations signed a letter calling for Maine's congressional delegation to push for the inclusion of immigrant families in the next COVID-19 relief package.
Thousands of Maine families, including farmworkers and other essential workers, have been left out of stimulus payments. Many more families cannot access healthcare. Further, anti-immigrant policies like public charge and increased Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs & Border Protection (CBP) enforcement have Maine immigrants scared to access the care they need.
The letter outlines the urgent policies necessary to provide relief to ALL Mainers:
Stop implementation of the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State’s public charge rule.
Suspend immigration enforcement actions against survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, and other serious crimes.
Release children and vulnerable adults from immigration detention.
Bar immigration enforcement actions in sensitive locations like healthcare facilities, religious institutions, and schools.
Provide Medicaid coverage for COVID-19-related services to everyone, regardless of immigration status.
Allocate funding to provide language access and public outreach on coronavirus preparedness, response, and recovery.
Include immigrant taxpayers with an individual tax identification number (ITIN) in all cash relief benefits.
Automatically extend work permits during the national emergency period and for a period of sixty days after the emergency ends.
Read the entire letter here.
New Self-Help Guide Available: "Calling the Immigration Court Hotline"
ILAP has created a new resource to guide asylum seekers and others with cases in immigration court through the process of calling the court's hotline (1-800-898-7180) to find out information about their immigration cases. You can find our step-by-step guide here!
Calling the hotline is the easiest and most reliable way to find out information regarding immigration court cases, including the date, time, and location and the number of days an asylum application has been pending. During the COVID-19 pandemic when there's so much upheaval, uncertainty, and rescheduling, having access to this hotline is especially important!
For individuals with cases in immigration court, including asylum cases, ILAP recommends that you call the hotline a minimum of once per week to ensure you are up to date on information about your case.
We'll be making more self-help and legal information available online over the coming weeks here ilapmaine.org/self-help-guides.