The Golden Door: December 2025
Governor Mills Announces She Will Let LD 1971 Become Law
In a December 15 op-ed in the Portland Press Herald, Governor Mills made the major announcement that she will let LD 1971 become law. ILAP applauds the decision, and the work and leadership of Representatives Dhalac and Rana, and so many others across the state.
LD 1971 draws a clear line between the role of Maine’s state and local police and the Trump administration’s political immigration enforcement agenda. It instructs Maine law enforcement to focus on criminal and traffic laws and not use their resources to assist the federal administration in reaching its immigration enforcement quotas at any cost. It also prohibits the use of ICE detainers in Maine. Detainers are nonmandatory requests made by ICE that have been found to be unconstitutional.
As ILAP Executive Director Sue Roche made clear:
"Ultimately, this law is about prioritizing and protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of all of us.”
ILAP thanks and is deeply grateful to every member of our community who advocated for LD 1971 to become law. Your voices were heard.
Now, we encourage our community to reach out to state legislators who supported LD 1971 and to Governor Mills to thank them. More here.
(Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
(Photo by Molly Haley)
Representative Pingree Conducts Critical Oversight of ICE Facility in Scarborough
On December 8, U.S. Representative Pingree exercised her Congressional rights and responsibilities to conduct oversight at the ICE facility in Scarborough. ILAP Co-Legal Director Melissa Brennan joined Representative Pingree for a press conference after the oversight visit and shared these words:
"Earlier this year, ILAP’s clients were denied access to their attorneys during appointments at this facility, in violation of their constitutional rights ... This type of unchecked power, lack of transparency, intimidation, and disregard for basic constitutional rights is why Representative Pingree’s oversight work was so critical here today. We hope that this work, along with the efforts of other elected officials across the country, will help ensure that the rights, dignity, and safety of all people interacting with the immigration system are protected. Because either constitutional rights apply to all of us or they apply to none of us."
Rockland Residents and City Council Pass Ordinance to Ensure City Resources Are Not Used for Federal Administration's Mass Deportation Agenda
ILAP applauds and congratulates the Rockland community and City Council for passing an ordinance and order that will ensure that city resources are not used to assist the federal administration with its mass deportation agenda.
ILAP Policy Director Lisa Parisio said:
"The passage of this ordinance, along with end of the 287(g) agreement in Wells, and the Maine legislature’s passage of LD 1971 earlier this year, demonstrates the priorities and values of people across the state. This ordinance is another sound rejection of the Trump administration’s agenda, false narratives, and anti-immigrant vitriol and part of the clear, widespread message that Maine’s immigrant communities are cherished and needed."
News sources across the state have reported on Governor Mills’ decision to allow LD 1971 to become law.
On December 15, Maine Public and Maine Morning Star both highlighted ILAP Executive Director Sue Roche’s statement from ILAP’s press release about why the bill is important:
"It ensures that Maine’s resources aren’t being diverted to further terrorize individuals and families, rip workers out of their jobs, destroy public trust, and create chaos and fear.”
The next day, Maine Beacon published an article quoting ILAP Policy Director Lisa Parisio on what the passage of LD 1971 means for Maine:
"In addition to protecting the rights and safety of Maine residents, this law sends a far-reaching message that immigrants are valued, respected, and needed ... and that our collective voices and communities are powerful and we can make change.”
Executive Director Sue Roche was featured on WMTW on December 17, where she spoke about the bill's role in responding to the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda.
"It is directly responsive to the federal administration's enforcement and deportation campaign, which is really having devastating impacts on Maine residents.”
Sue was also featured on News Center Maine, where she provided clarification that LD 1971 “does not prevent law enforcement from doing their jobs, but instead reinforces the line between federal and local responsibilities.”
Maine Morning Star published another article on December 18 diving deeper into the role that Maine’s state and local law enforcement have been playing in assisting the federal administration with its immigration agenda in Maine and how LD 1971 responds. The article quoted ILAP Policy Director Lisa Parisio, who shared some of the impacts on ILAP’s clients and the fear and stress they are experiencing:
“People are afraid to leave their homes. They are afraid to go to work. They’re afraid to be on the roadways. They are afraid to send their children to school,” Parisio said. “They’re afraid to call the police for help in any situation, whether that’s protection from domestic violence, coming forward about labor exploitation and trafficking, serving as witnesses in criminal cases.”
ILAP’s Rural Maine Project Attorney Don Wilkinson was featured in a Bangor Daily News deep dive piece on roofing workers in Maine and the impact of federal immigration enforcement on them, the industry, and Maine’s workforce. Don shared a story from his work assisting people experiencing labor exploitation and trafficking in Maine and how the administration’s agenda allows bad actors to act with impunity.
Following Representative Pingree’s oversight visit to the Scarborough ICE facility, news outlets highlighted ongoing concerns about due process and attorney access, including issues documented by ILAP. ILAP Co-Legal Director Melissa Brennan joined Representative Pingree in a press conference following the oversight visit. Coverage included:
Maine Morning Star: Concerns about due process remain after Rep. Pingree tours Maine ICE facility
Maine Public: After visit to Scarborough ICE office, Rep. Pingree says attorney access concerns remain
News Center Maine: Concerns raised over denial of legal access at Scarborough ICE facility
ILAP was also featured in a Boston Globe article examining the use of the federal government’s Operation Stonegarden grant program for state and local law enforcement across New England.
Penobscot Bay Pilot covered Rockland’s ordinance debate and included ILAP’s testimony documenting how Maine residents and workers have been handed over to immigration officials by state and local law enforcement during minor traffic stops.
Earlier this month, the Sun Journal covered the impact of President Trump’s hateful comments about Somali immigrants in the United States, including people with Temporary Protected Status. The article quoted ILAP Policy Director Lisa Parisio, who explained:
“[Parisio] said that under the law, a temporary protected status designation for a country can only be terminated when conditions have improved to an extent that people’s lives will not be endangered if they return. She said those protections cannot lawfully be terminated to target a specific community within the U.S., and it cannot be terminated based on racial animus.”
ILAP in the Community
This month, ILAP was grateful to be the beneficiary of two community-led fundraisers supporting our work.
Longtime supporter Robyn, who has been donating 10% of her coffee shop gallery sales to ILAP for the last few months, once again showcased her work at Past and Future Craft’s volunteer night on December 3.
JUDITH, a boutique located in Portland’s Old Port, is also supporting ILAP through a December fundraising raffle. For every $10 donated through their website, donors receive one raffle entry for a chance to win a $1,000 JUDITH gift card. Donations can be made multiple times throughout the month, and JUDITH will match all gifts. The raffle winner will be drawn on January 2, 2026. Enter the raffle here.
As the year comes to an end, we are continually moved by the many ways our community continues to show up. Your support makes a real difference, not only financially, but in showing the strength of our collective voices.
Fall Immigrant Beacon
Catch up on the latest edition of ILAP’s Immigrant Beacon, which was mailed last month. You can read the full newsletter as a PDF or explore individual articles below:
Shared Voices
ILAP’s work is made possible not only by our staff, but by the dedicated volunteers who stand beside people seeking safety in Maine. This month, we share reflections from Arnie, a longtime board member, donor, and pro bono attorney.
“I became interested in ILAP and asylum work when a senior lawyer spoke to my firm about how rewarding it is to take these cases, and that with ILAP’s supervision any of us could handle the work.”
One early case showed Arnie the difference that winning an asylum case can make in a person’s life.
“After she won asylum she was a different person. She went from a fearful person whose eyes were always on the floor to one with an effervescent personality that lit up the room. I quickly learned that not only may you save lives with ILAP but you change them dramatically when the trauma and fear of being sent back to danger is removed.”
Over time, Arnie continued taking cases and building meaningful connections through his work.
“You never know when moments of grace and humility will come and you turn from teacher to student, but we get so much more than we give.”
As the immigration landscape has shifted, Arnie has seen how much the work has changed as well.
“Today the stakes are far higher. The issues are more complex, responses must be lightning-fast, and the expertise of ILAP is more important than ever.”
Arnie’s reflections highlight the power of sustained volunteer partnership and the role community plays in ensuring people are treated with dignity and care.
Your Support Powers Immigrant Justice
As the need grows and the stakes rise, your generosity makes ILAP’s work possible. If you’re able, please make your most generous contribution today to support Maine’s immigrant communities.
For previous updates from ILAP, check out the links below:
November 26, 2025: Golden Door
September 12, 2025: Community Update
August 28, 2025: August Golden Door