The Golden Door: June 2026
Dear Community,
During the last week of June, the Supreme Court issued three major immigration decisions on Temporary Protected Status, Asylum, and Birthright Citizenship. Each ruling will impact Maine immigrants, including one that paves the way for the federal administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status for 1.3 million people across the country. One of the first TPS-designated countries at risk is Haiti.
At least hundreds of Haitian TPS holders call Maine home. Without swift action from Congress, they are at risk of losing their protection from deportation and work permits needed to support themselves and their families.
TPS was created by Congress in 1990 to safeguard people already in the U.S. if conditions in their home country made safe return impossible. These are the exact circumstances that exist in Haiti today. The United Nations says that Haiti's crisis is deepening, and includes extreme levels of violence against civilians, dire poverty and hunger, lack of healthcare or services, and mass internal displacement.
A bill that would protect Haitian TPS holders in Maine and across the nation has already passed the House, with broad bipartisan support, and has been introduced in the Senate. Senator King is a cosponsor on the bill.
Join ILAP in calling on Senator Collins to join the rest of Maine’s Congressional delegation and support this life-saving legislation today.
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
Immigration Law & Policy Updates
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.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
SCOTUS Issues Major Immigration Decisions
WHAT IT MEANS:
In late June, the Supreme Court issued three major immigration decisions.
In the first decision, the Supreme Court ruled that courts cannot review Temporary Protected Status decisions made by the Executive Branch. This paves the way for the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria – the countries the plaintiffs in the case are from – and has implications for all TPS designated countries. Read ILAP’s press statement here.
In the second decision, the Supreme Court ruled that immigration officials may refuse entry to people seeking asylum at the border and prevent them from having the opportunity to apply for asylum protections that they qualify for under our laws. Read ILAP’s press statement here.
Lastly, the Supreme Court upheld the Constitutional right to birthright citizenship, striking down a Trump administration Executive Order. Read ILAP’s press statement here.
Hunger Strike at Delaney Hall Detention Center
People detained at Delaney Hall and other immigration detention centers continue to protest the horrific and inhumane conditions they are enduring through hunger and labor strikes. Read the letters of detained people here. Take action to help people get out of detention centers by supporting bond funds like the Maine Solidarity Fund.
Congress Passes Reconciliation Bill, Giving $70 Billion More to Immigration Enforcement and Detention
Congress passed the $70 billion reconciliation bill on June 9. The funding is in addition to $170 billion allocated to immigration enforcement just last year.
Funding in the bill includes $350 million to target cities and states the administration deems to be not cooperating with its mass deportation agenda, $13 billion towards Border Patrol focusing on immigration enforcement activities, and $3.5 billion towards surveillance technology. Read more from the American Immigration Council here.
ILAP’s Executive Director Sue Roche said in a statement: “ILAP calls out for change. A humane and just immigration system is possible; it will benefit everyone in this country, and it must be prioritized.” Read ILAP’s full statement here.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Some Travel Ban Policies
A federal judge struck down Trump administration policies that stopped the processing of certain immigration applications and asylum applications for people from 39 countries. Under the decision, the administration must restart processing more than a million applications which have been sitting in limbo. In his opinion, the Judge found that the administration’s pause on applications was fueled by “anti-immigration sentiments.”
The Trump administration filed an immediate appeal of the decision. Learn more from the American Immigration Council here.
Several news outlets have reported on what last week's Supreme Court rulings on TPS, asylum, and birthright citizenship mean for immigrants in Maine, citing ILAP:
Portland Press Herald:
Maine Public: Immigration advocates say SCOTUS decision puts hundreds of Maine residents at risk of deportation
Sun Journal: Supreme Court allows Trump administration to end legal protections for Haitians, Syrians
Maine Biz: Maine immigrant-rights groups respond to Supreme Court rulings
WMTW:
Earlier this month, the Portland Press Herald reported on the impact of Cumberland County Jail no longer holding people detained by ICE. The article highlights both advocates’ overall objection to ICE detention facilities in their communities and the added challenges of someone being transferred to an out-of-state detention facility in providing legal representation:
“Melissa Brennan, ILAP’s co-legal director, said in April that the organization tries filing habeas petitions in federal court as soon as possible. These petitions, filed when someone alleges they are being held unconstitutionally, often lead to judges temporarily barring ICE from transferring petitioners outside the court’s jurisdiction.”
In a statement quoted later in the article, Melissa explains further:
"There are also the general challenges of maintaining consistent communication with clients who have limited and unpredictable access to phones, navigating varying detention center procedures, managing time-sensitive filings from afar, and ensuring that no critical detail is lost despite the physical distance between attorney and client.”
ILAP at pride
ILAP is proud to support LGBTQIA+ immigrants living in Maine through direct legal services, community legal education, and systemic advocacy.
We were excited to show our pride last weekend when we marched in the Portland Pride parade. Members of our team shared the message that Maine is Home for All – a message that applies not only to immigrant communities, but to any Mainer who might feel unwelcome or unsafe in the current landscape.
Check out Equality Maine and the Equality Community Center for LGBTQIA+ resources, as well as year-round events, meetings, and support groups!
Community in Action
Several musicians and groups held fundraising concerts for ILAP this month, including Voices from the Heart women’s chorus, the band Bold Riley, and Matt Nakoa, as a part of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick‘s Concerts for a Cause series.
The music continues August 22 with a mini festival at Earth and Soul Pottery. The event will feature a silent auction, with all proceeds supporting ILAP’s work.
As Maine’s only statewide immigration legal services organization, ILAP depends on the support of our community (both financial and otherwise) to continue its critical work.
Whether you host a fundraiser, participate in our action alerts, or help share information about our services, thank you for being part of the movement for immigrant justice.
In response to the ongoing high levels of immigration enforcement in Maine, ILAP is expanding its team. We are currently hiring for several new positions to support our Detention Project work, including:
Senior Managing Attorney, Detention Project
Lead ILAP's growing detention practice, supervise a talented team, and expand access to legal representation for immigrants impacted by detention. Help shape strategy, strengthen services, and advance immigrant rights through both leadership and direct legal advocacy.
ILAP’s base salary for this position ranges from $78,507 - $89,116 and includes a generous benefits package. A modest stipend is available to assist candidates relocating to Maine.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Detention Response Legal Fellow (Two-Year Fellowship)
Join ILAP's detention team and build expertise in detention-related advocacy, including bond representation, emergency response, and federal habeas litigation. Work alongside experienced immigration attorneys while making a meaningful difference for detained immigrants and their families.
ILAP’s base salary for this position ranges from $72,141- $80,628 and includes a generous benefits package.
Review of applications will begin on July 7, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.
Detention Response Coordinator (Two-Year Fellowship)
Help ensure detained immigrants and their families can access critical legal support by coordinating screenings, case assistance, and detention response efforts across Maine as a part of ILAP's detention team. Work alongside dedicated attorneys in a fast-paced, mission-driven role advancing immigrant rights and access to justice.
ILAP’s base salary for this position ranges from $53,045 - $57,289 and includes a generous benefits package.
Review of applications will begin on July 13, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.
Interested candidates should review the full job description for any position of interest and carefully follow the application instructions included in each posting.
Please share these opportunities with your network to help spread the word!
For previous updates from ILAP, check out the links below:
May 28, 2026: May Golden Door
April 30, 2026: April Golden Door
April 7, 2026: Immigrant Beacon