The Golden Door: April 2026
Dear Community,
Over the past weeks, more than 1,100 of you reached out to Maine’s state legislators urging them to pass LD 2106, a critically needed bill that would help protect Maine residents and workers from unchecked immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, including public schools, hospitals, and libraries.
Thanks to your advocacy and the incredible work of so many other people and partners across the state, LD 2106 passed the Maine legislature and was signed by Governor Mills. It will be in effect later this summer.
ILAP’s Executive Director, Sue Roche, made clear:
“LD 2106 puts in place the strongest protections possible at the state level to safeguard people from immigration enforcement at the public institutions we all rely on, including schools, hospitals, and libraries. It also protects noncitizen employees at these places, the essential workers who serve and care for all of us.”
We hope you will take a moment and sit with this victory and remember how powerful we are when we stand together as a united community.
As the 132nd Maine state legislature adjourns, our local and federal advocacy work continues, including responding to a proposed federal rule that would essentially eliminate work permits for asylum seekers. This absurd and cruel proposal should be withdrawn in its entirety. You can read our public comment opposing it here. We will share updates on the proposed rule as there are developments.
Thank you for your partnership. Let’s keep working. Because Maine is Home for All.
In solidarity,
The ILAP Team
You’re invited to ILAP’s 16th CeleSoirée
Join us on May 13th at Ocean Gateway in Portland for the return of CeleSoirée, ILAP's signature community gathering, back after a seven-year pause.
For 15 years, CeleSoirée brought together community members, volunteers, advocates, and business leaders to celebrate Maine's immigrant communities. This year, you can look forward to food from local immigrant-owned businesses Maiz, Yardie Ting, and Taj, along with live music by Kouchera, blending Haitian kompa, soul, and R&B.
Tickets are available on a sliding scale.
Celebrating Community, Together
CeleSoirée isn't just a celebration. It’s a chance to support ILAP’s critical legal services to help immigrants in Maine gain legal status and work authorization, be released from detention, and remain with their families. But ILAP’s work would not be possible without the many immigrant-led organizations whose important non-legal work supports our clients as they navigate their immigration cases.
As part of this year's event, 30% of the net proceeds will be shared equally among a cohort of immigrant-led and immigrant-serving organizations across Maine. Attendees at this year’s CeleSoirée will have the chance to connect with members of these organizations and learn about their work to support Maine’s immigrant communities.
This approach is rooted in the values of community-centric fundraising, a practice that recognizes that no single organization can meet the full needs of our communities alone. Supporting immigrant communities in Maine takes a strong, connected network of organizations working alongside one another. By sharing our event's proceeds, we hope to honor that truth and strengthen the ecosystem that makes our work possible. Thank you for being part of this.
Spring 2026 Immigrant Beacon
The latest edition of ILAP's Immigrant Beacon print newsletter is here! The Immigrant Beacon is sent out twice a year, in the spring and the fall. If you would like to receive a physical copy of the Beacon in the mail, make sure you’re signed up to our mailing list.
Here are some of the articles you can find in the Spring 2026 issue:
Executive Director Sue Roche co-authored an op-ed with the ACLU of Maine and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in support of LD 1822, a bill that would have provided crucial safeguards to protect Maine immigrant residents’ personal online data. While LD 1822 did not pass, it raised important questions about data privacy, civil liberties, and immigrants’ safety in Maine. The op-ed explains:
“For Maine’s immigrant communities who are using the internet to seek legal services and access other services and resources, digital profiles hold details about their lives that could easily be used to target them for mass immigration enforcement and deportation. The Department of Homeland Security has already purchased information from brokers to track people.”
While immigration law and policy is controlled by the federal government, people across Maine are developing strategies to respond to mass deportation at the local and state levels. Recent reporting reflects both the urgency of that work and the progress being made.
The Maine Morning Star summarized some of the laws Maine enacted during the latest legislative session, including LD 2106 and a law to strengthen tenant protections. The article quotes ILAP Policy Director Lisa Parisio, who said the new laws "are truly key state-level protections against the Trump administration’s continued high levels of enforcement in our state."
Local responses to enforcement are also drawing attention. Lisa spoke at a recent Waterville city council meeting, where members discussed whether to draft an ordinance that would prohibit municipal employees from diverting resources to federal immigration enforcement. Rockland and Lewiston have already passed similar ordinances; Bangor is debating one now, and the Portland City Council is considering updates to its existing immigration ordinance. At the meeting, Lisa spoke about what’s at stake, including the inhumane conditions in ICE detention centers and overall public health, safety, and trust in Maine’s communities. The meeting was covered by Central Maine.
Reporting has also focused on the day-to-day impacts of enforcement on Maine families. The Maine Monitor published an article about how detained immigrants are at risk of permanently losing their cars due to Maine’s towing and abandoned vehicle laws. The article quotes ILAP Policy Director Lisa Parisio:
“In a rural state like Maine, where driving is a basic need, losing a vehicle could have a devastating impact on an individual and family, especially compounded with the other traumatic impacts of ICE detention.”
ILAP in The Community
We are so grateful and inspired by the many ways our community continues to show up for immigrant neighbors with care, creativity, and generosity. These are just some of the examples of events and fundraisers across Maine supporting ILAP:
Graphic design firm iBec hosted an event in support of ILAP’s work, culminating in a collaborative art piece themed after Maine Home for All.
Local artist Katherine Perkins (@katherineperkinsartist) held an online art sale, donating 10% of proceeds to ILAP and Maine Needs.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick’s Concerts for a Cause series continued with a performance by Chelsea Berry on April 11. There are only two concerts left in the season, so get your tickets soon to enjoy an evening of music and community while supporting ILAP’s work:
May 13, Low Lily, with special guest Elsie Gawler
Each of these efforts reflects the creativity and commitment that sustain ILAP’s work. Thank you for being part of it.
ILAP is Hiring!
As ILAP grows alongside this community, we are expanding our team. We're hiring a Donor Engagement Manager to lead relationship-building with individual donors and grow the Resilience Circle, our business giving program.
We're looking for someone with experience in nonprofit fundraising, a commitment to community-centric fundraising, and a passion for advancing immigrant rights in Maine. The salary range for this position is $70,040 - $78,280 and includes a generous benefits package.
If this sounds like a fit, we hope you'll apply! If you know someone who might be, please share this opportunity.
Review of applications begins May 18, 2026.
For previous updates from ILAP, check out the links below:
April 7, 2026: Immigrant Beacon
March 31, 2026: March Golden Door
March 13, 2026: Community Update