Representative Pingree and Senator King Lead Members of Congress in Calling on Trump Administration Not to Punish Workers and Businesses for Government Processing Delays

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 7, 2025
CONTACT: press@ilapmaine.org 

Maine – On October 30, the federal administration announced the end of a policy that had automatically extended certain work permits. These automatic extensions were necessary to ensure that workers and businesses were not punished when processing delays at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services resulted in workers not getting their new work permit in time before their previous work permit expired. Representative Pingree and Senator King led Congressional letters calling on the administration to reverse course. 

ILAP’s Executive Director Sue Roche said: “There is no legitimate public policy reason to strip away work authorization from people who have a right to work under our laws and have done everything the federal government asked of them. Punishing Maine’s workers, and in turn Maine’s employers, for federal government processing delays that are out of their hands underscores the administration’s continued cruelty, recklessness, and willingness to do harm to the entire country in furtherance of its anti-immigrant agenda. ILAP applauds Representative Pingree and Senator King for their leadership calling on the administration to withdraw this counterproductive plan and we urge others across Maine and beyond to take action, too.”  

While the policy change was immediately effective, there is a public comment period open until December 1, 2025.

Immigrants in Maine with questions about this announcement or otherwise in need of immigration legal help can request an appointment with ILAP or attend our walk in hours here: https://ilapmaine.org/get-legal-help

For more information about this announcement: https://asaptogether.org/en/new-work-permit-rule/