The Golden Door: March Special Edition
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.
To the members of our ILAP community,
Last week, following the guidance of Governor Mills and public health officials, and to protect the health of our staff, clients and community, ILAP closed our offices in Portland and Lewiston until further notice.
But we are still here, dedicated to supporting the immigration legal needs of low-income immigrants and committed to providing reliable information for all. As I write this message, our staff are working on their cases remotely and are available via phone and email.
Despite our physical distance, here are the ways that Mainers can access the ILAP services they need:
Those seeking urgent assistance should call and leave a voicemail message at 207-780-1593. Please understand that we are experiencing a high volume of phone calls and will make every effort to respond promptly to voicemail messages.
For the most recent immigration advisories and closures, along with links to public health information, please visit: ilapmaine.org/covid19 (more languages coming soon). Updates will also be shared on our social media pages – @ILAPMaine on Facebook and Twitter.
For self-help materials and other resources, please periodically check ilapmaine.org/self-help-resources and our social media pages for additions. As always, note our asylum-specific page here: ilapmaine.org/asylum-self-help.
Because of the evolving nature of the coronavirus/COVID-19 situation, ILAP will be sending out email updates as needed in the coming weeks, in addition to our monthly Golden Door e-newsletter. We hope you’ll help us circulate this information widely.
Collective care is more important than ever at this moment. Our well-being is inextricably bound to the well-being of our neighbors and our shared community. Take care of yourselves and your families, share resources when possible, and join us in our commitment to share accurate information.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in advancing justice for immigrants in Maine during this difficult time.
COVID-19 Immigration Closures
You can find the most recent coronavirus-related immigration advisories and closures, along with links to additional public health resources, at ilapmaine.org/covid19. As of March 23, here are the updates from the following immigration offices:
US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has closed all offices to the public through at least April 1, including the Portland Field Office and the Boston Asylum Office. This includes interviews, naturalization ceremonies and biometric appointments.
Immigration courts have postponed all non-detained hearings. If you have a scheduled hearing in immigration court, you will receive a new notice at a future date.
The South Portland Immigration & Custom Enforcements/Enforcement & Removal Operations (ICE/ERO) office is rescheduling in-person check-ins to telephone check-ins unless they deem an in-person check-in to be absolutely necessary. They are reaching out to those who have scheduled appointments.
Coronavirus and Public Charge
USCIS has announced that testing, treatment or preventative care for coronavirus/COVID-19 will not impact public charge. It is important that everyone who needs medical care to treat or prevent coronavirus/COVID-19 gets that care. If you have symptoms and need to seek medical treatment, you should get it even if it will be paid for by Medicaid.
If you need to use public benefits such as General Assistance, food assistance, housing assistance, or Medicaid (MaineCare) to meet your basic needs during this public health emergency, USCIS states that you will be able to submit an explanation and documentation to have the emergency taken into consideration for your public charge decision. Remember there are many other supports – school nutrition programs, Emergency Medicaid, Medicaid or CHIP for children and pregnant women, shelters, and food pantries – that are not considered under the public charge rule.
For more information, please review this fact sheet and visit ilapmaine.org/public-charge.
Self-Help Materials and Legal Resources
In the coming weeks, ILAP will periodically add legal resources and self-help materials to our website at ilapmaine.org/self-help-resources.
Asylum-specific information is available at ilapmaine.org/asylum-self-help, including our self-help asylum manual available in English, French and Spanish.