The Golden Door: October 2022
Current and potential Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients continue to face upheaval and uncertainty with a new ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, finding DACA to be “unlawful” and sending the case back to the District Court. For now, DACA renewals continue to be processed and new applications accepted but not processed.
DACA recipients and undocumented people across Maine and the entire country need and deserve more than this cruel limbo. Congress has the power to fix this right now. Keep calling your Members of Congress and demanding a path to citizenship!
ILAP Continues Advocacy to Combat Bias in the Boston Asylum Office
ILAP, the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Maine School of Law, and the ACLU of Maine led a national advocacy letter calling on members of Congress in New England to conduct more oversight over the Boston Asylum Office.
The letter was endorsed by more than 40 national and New England-based legal services organizations and law firms and builds upon ILAP’s work exposing bias in the Boston Asylum Office, as detailed in the Lives in Limbo report.
PSA: Immigrants & Voting
Congratulations to all naturalized U.S. citizens in Maine who are registering to vote and voting in the upcoming November election!
For immigrants in Maine who are NOT U.S. citizens, please be careful you do not register to vote or vote at this time. Only U.S. citizens can vote or register to vote. This is true for all U.S. and State elections.
Under immigration law, non-citizens who register to vote or who vote can face serious immigration penalties, including deportation. It does not matter if someone registered or voted by mistake, or were told by others it was safe to do so.
Find resources in your language:
English: Important Information for Immigrants and Partners on Voter Registration
Español: Información importante para inmigrantes sobre registro de votantes
Français: Renseignements importants pour les immigrant.e.s sur l’inscription électorale
If you are someone helping others register to vote and to vote, click hereto learn how to keep immigrants safe while doing your important work!
TPS for Ethiopia Designated for 18 Months
ILAP welcomed news of the long-overdue announcement of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia. TPS is a life-saving humanitarian protection that allows people in the U.S. to remain when safe return to their home country becomes impossible.
ILAP commends the Ethiopian Community Development Council, U.S. Committee for Immigrants and Refugees, and the TPS – DED Administrative Advocacy Coalition for their steadfast work. The designation is expected to offer protection to approximately 30,000 people.
For Ethiopians in Maine: the application for TPS is not yet open, beware of people who may seek to take advantage of immigrants. ILAP will share more information on our website (www.ilapmaine.org) and social media when the Department of Homeland Security officially opens the registration process.
Biden Administration Expands Title 42 for Venezuelans, Denying Right to Seek Asylum
ILAP condemns the Biden administration’s October 12 announcement that it is expanding Title 42 expulsions of Venezuelans at the border.
This decision flies in the face of domestic and international law and will cost the lives of asylum seekers forced to flee from one of the largest and most catastrophic humanitarian disasters on the planet. ILAP joined 100+ organizations condemning this life-threatening decision in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
More than 7 million people have been forced to flee Venezuela due to starvation, mass human rights violations, lack of medicine and basic health care supplies, and other life-threatening conditions. Of the 6 million in South and Central America, 75 percent are left without access to basic needs.
The Biden administration coupled its announcement that it will turn vulnerable Venezuelans away at the border with the creation of a new parole program which will admit up to 24,000 Venezuelans to the U.S. who meet specific requirements.
While ILAP welcomes the opportunity for this group to find safety, the administration’s overall policy towards Venezuelans in need of protection is appalling. In September, the administration extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for current recipients, but refused to re-designate – a move that would have provided humanitarian protection for Venezuelans already in the U.S.
ILAP in the News
Amjambo Africa featured a story about Felix Hagenimana, his journey to the U.S., and his path to becoming a lawyer in Maine. Felix provides immigration legal help to immigrants and asylum seekers in Maine through his own law firm, Hagenimana Law PLLC, and as ILAP’s part-time Asylum Outreach Attorney.
“I think everything works together – the work I do, the languages I know, the traumas I’ve lived through …have given me resilience," says Felix in the article.
Maine Public's News Connect (Ep. 76) shared ILAP’s advice for immigrants about voting and voter registration and our response to the October DACA decision. You can find more translated news in French, Spanish, Somali, and Portuguese here.
ILAP was honored to be among the recipients of the Maine Justice Foundation’s Hancock/Washington County Legal Aid ESO Fund 2023 Grants, announced by the Kennebec Journal. Thank you, Maine Justice Foundation, for supporting our Rural Maine Project!
Fall Gathering 2022 Recap
It was a joy seeing so many of you at our Fall Gathering last month - thanks for joining us! We felt especially grateful to be able to bring our donors, volunteers, and partners together in-person for the first time in almost three years for an evening of reconnecting and reimagining.
Our guest speaker was Dr. Mariam Raqib of Afghanistan Samsortya, a grassroots organization sowing seeds of change in Afghanistan. Click here to learn more about their work!
ILAP's annual Fall Gathering is our small way of saying thank you to everyone who makes our work possible. Special thanks to Norway Savings Bank for generously sponsoring this year's event.
If you were not able to join us, we extend our gratitude for your support and look forward to more opportunities to gather together in the years to come!
See more pictures and learn more about our event partners at ilapmaine.org/event-2022.
SAVE THE DATE: Giving Tuesday on November 29th
Giving Tuesday is coming on November 29th! ILAP is once again looking forward to celebrating Giving Tuesday by highlighting how our partners and other organizations across Maine are working together to create stronger communities.
Read our reflection from last year about why we've chosen to re-imagine Giving Tuesday as a day of collaboration (not competition!) among non-profits.
We will be celebrating the abundance of incredible work happening in the state and hope you'll join us. Follow ILAP on Facebook and Twitter today so you don't miss out!
