The Golden Door: October 2026
Dear Community,
For far too long, immigrant communities in Maine and beyond have faced an unjust, inaccessible immigration system with few pathways to permanent safety, stability, and family unity. Decades of elected officials deprioritizing immigrants’ rights is one of the major factors that led us here to the era of mass deportation.
As we approach this incredibly consequential election, ILAP is reflecting on the privilege of U.S. citizens having the right to vote in the country they call home. Those who have the right to vote must remember that when we vote, we vote for all of us.
If you are a U.S. citizen, share the pledge to be an Immigrants’ Rights Voter this Election Day.
Important Note: Remember, only U.S. citizens have the right to vote. Check out our voting Know Your Rights guide.
In solidarity,
The ILAP Team
GET LEGAL HELP
Request help for someone detained by immigration officials:
ilapmaine.org/detention
Request help for other types of immigration legal cases in Maine:
ilapmaine.org/requestMeet with ILAP to get answers to quick immigration questions:
ilapmaine.org/request#meetKnow Your Rights:
aclumaine.org/preparingforice/Make a Family Preparedness Plan:
ilapmaine.org/prepare
Action Alert: Restore Haiti TPS Now!
Since the administration terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti in July, hundreds of people have been deported to Haiti’s extreme humanitarian and security crisis. In Maine, at least 200 people who were previously protected by TPS for Haiti are at risk of being forcibly returned to the country.
In a nearly unprecedented move earlier this year, the House voted on a broad bipartisan basis to restore TPS for Haiti via Congressional authority. Now in the Senate, the same bill has been cosponsored by every Democrat, and advocates are calling for bipartisan support in that chamber, too.
Earlier this month, ILAP delivered a letter to Senator Collins, endorsed by 150 state, national, and international organizations, urging her to protect former Haitian TPS holders in Maine and beyond. The letter cited Senator Collins’ previous calls for the protection of women and girls in Haiti, and how ensuring those already in the U.S. aren’t returned to those dangerous conditions is a natural extension of that position.
ILAP is committed to helping our community make sense of immigration news and its impact. Below is a summary of some key immigration law and policy developments from the past few weeks. All updates are subject to rapid change.
Renee Good’s Family Seeks Justice
The legal doctrine of qualified immunity protects public officials, including ICE officers, from civil liability for breaking the law or violating someone’s Constitutional rights. While not absolute, it is difficult to overcome in the courts to hold individual officers accountable for their actions.
On January 7, 2026, 37-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. On October 1, her family filed a lawsuit, seeking to overcome the immunity granted to ICE officers and hold them accountable.
Learn more about the lawsuit and theory of the case from the American Immigration Council.
USCIS Finalizes Rule Which Will Leave Immigrants Without Work Permits
On October 14, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a final rule eliminating automatic renewals of certain work permits.
As processing delays at USCIS have grown over the years, automatic renewals of certain work permits have become necessary to address the issue of people not receiving their new work permits from the agency before their current work permits expire.
This final rule will result in people having gaps in their work authorization through no fault of their own, costing them income, their jobs, and costing businesses key members of their workforce.
ILAP has staunchly advocated against this change and calls on Congress to step in to protect noncitizen workers in Maine and beyond.
Administration Issues New Rule Targeting Refugees
On October 14, as part of its “de-documentation” efforts, the administration issued a new rule (which took effect immediately) targeting people with refugee status already resettled in the United States.
Specifically, the rule reduces the amount of time a refugee has to respond to a notice to terminate their refugee status from 30 days down to 10. If they don’t respond, refugee status is automatically terminated. Being able to find a lawyer to assist in such a short window will be next to impossible in many cases and will lead to people losing their refugee protection and being put at risk of deportation to life-threatening circumstances.
Learn more from the International Refugee Assistance Project.
Supreme Court Allows Administration to Continue Third Country Deportations
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in December on whether the Trump administration should be permitted to continue to deport people to third countries where they have no prior ties, but in the meantime will allow such deportations to continue.
While third country deportations have occurred prior to the Trump administration, they have been nowhere near the current scale. The administration itself reports that 16,000 people have been deported to third countries since 2025. Human rights groups believe the number could be more than 25,000.
Third country deportations can seriously heighten risks for already vulnerable people. People may have no connections, may not speak the language, may have no access to identity documents, and may face new risks of persecution.
A Month of Community, Creativity, and Gratitude
Throughout October, people across Maine demonstrated their commitment to standing with immigrant communities. Thank you to everyone who hosted events, shared their art and music, donated their time and talents, and came together in solidarity. Your generosity reminds us of the power of community and what we can accomplish when we work together.
October 3: Creative Portland
Creative Portland hosted an open studio on October 3 featuring their resident artists. Two artists generously donated the proceeds from their sales to ILAP: Julia Lipner of Triflorum Designs, who sold mini bouquets, and Rosalba Breazeale, who sold Somos Abya Yala Cyanotype Prints. Thank you to Julia and Rosalba for sharing their creativity and generosity with our community, and to Creative Portland for offering the space for artists to make an impact.
October 24: Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick hosted a concert featuring a wide variety of Maine artists who came together in support of ILAP’s work. The Portland Press Herald spread the word with an article publicizing the event. The concert was a meaningful reminder of how music can bring people together around a shared commitment to welcoming and supporting our immigrant neighbors. We’re so thankful to the church, the participating artists, and everyone who helped make the event happen.
A Shared Honor
This month, ILAP was honored to receive two awards recognizing the importance of collaboration in advancing justice and supporting Maine’s immigrant communities.
On October 1, ILAP and ILAP Executive Director Sue Roche were recognized by the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine (HHRC) with the Gerda Haas Award, alongside our partners at the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, In Her Presence, and Hope Acts. The Gerda Haas Award was established to recognize individuals and organizations whose work reflects the values at the heart of HHRC’s mission to promote universal respect for human rights through outreach and education.
Sue attended the celebration, where she spoke about the importance of partnership:
“ILAP could not do this work alone. We work alongside our partners, including those recognized here tonight, to support our individual clients and to demand systemic change. We also work with community groups and people like all of you who are speaking out and pushing back.
We must continue to draw attention to the injustices, and to demand accountability and change. As reflected in the quote made famous by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’ If we all continue to push that arc together, we will move towards that justice we all desire and everyone deserves.”
Sue Roche
ILAP Executive Director
It takes a strong network of organizations working together to ensure our immigrant neighbors have access to the resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive. One such organization is ProsperityME. ProsperityME empowers members of refugee and immigrant communities, through education and counseling, to invest in themselves and build financial stability, careers, businesses, and wealth.
ILAP was honored to receive ProsperityME’s Outstanding Community Partner Award at its Annual Community Block Party on October 8. We’re deeply grateful for the work ProsperityME does for our community, and for this recognition, which affirms the importance of building collaborative relationships to help make Maine a home for all.
Thank you to the HHRC, ProsperityME, and all the other organizations and community members who share our commitment to building a future where immigrants are welcomed, supported, and able to thrive.
Partner Spotlight: Maine Office of New Americans
In 2024, ILAP joined a widespread effort to make Maine the 19th state to establish an agency working to welcome, support, and integrate new immigrants. Launched in 2025, the Maine Office of New Americans (ONA) was charged with making Maine a home of opportunity for all, strengthening Maine's workforce, enhancing the vibrancy of Maine's communities, and building a strong economy.
As part of its work, the ONA recently published a report examining the economic impact of the federal administration’s mass deportation agenda. Over the last year and a half, increased immigration enforcement has caused lasting harm to immigrants and their families, creating a sense of fear that has spread across the state. This report draws on testimony from immigrant community members and employers to demonstrate the widespread consequences for individuals, businesses, and Maine’s future. It also makes clear that mass deportation harms all of us.
For the immigrants ILAP works alongside, these findings are about more than Maine’s economic stability: they are about feeling safe to build a life in Maine for themselves and their families.
ILAP is proud to work alongside ONA to help create a Maine where we can all strive for a prosperous future.
We’re hiring for two positions and hope you’ll help us find the right people.
Communications Manager/Senior Communications Manager
Help deepen ILAP’s visibility, strengthen our narrative, and support fundraising and advocacy through strategic communications and storytelling. For 2026, ILAP’s base salary for this position ranges from $74,263 to $89,116 and includes a generous benefits package. A modest stipend is available to assist candidates relocating to Maine. Additional compensation is available for proficiency in a relevant client language. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with priority given to applications received before Tuesday, November 17.
Finance and Operations Director
Provide strategic financial leadership and operational oversight to support ILAP’s sustainability, compliance, and day-to-day operations. Serving on ILAP’s Leadership Team, this role oversees budgeting, financial controls, reporting, operational systems, and facilities and vendor management. For 2026, ILAP’s base salary for this position ranges from $89,116 to $99,725 and includes a generous benefits package. A modest stipend is available to assist candidates relocating to Maine. Additional compensation is available for proficiency in a relevant client language. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
We encourage applications from people with lived immigrant experience. Please share these opportunities with your network to help spread the word!
