ILAP Program Updates
Over the years, ILAP has developed several specialized programs to complement our core legal services and respond to emerging issues. Three of those programs have celebrated important milestones this year. Learn more at ilapmaine.org/programs.
Photo credit: Amir Hosseini on Unsplash
Immigrant Children’s Project Turns 5
This fall, we celebrated the five-year anniversary of the launch of our Immigrant Children’s Project (ICP). The ICP was created to expand legal support for young people in Maine who may qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), a pathway to permanent residency for those who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent. Today, ILAP serves over 300 young people annually — twice as many as it did in 2021.
“The SIJS application process is incredibly difficult for children and teens to access on their own. But with legal representation, we have seen first-hand the difference SIJS and eventually a green card can make in the lives of young people, allowing them to live safely in the United States, attend college with financial aid, pursue their chosen careers, and become engaged in their communities.”
- Senior Immigrant Children’s Project Attorney Maggie
Photo credit: mellowtrails
Rural Maine Project Launches New Walk-in Hours
ILAP’s Rural Maine Project recently opened walk-in hours in Milbridge and Brewer — a critical step forward in making legal support accessible to more Mainers living in rural areas, who are often more vulnerable to immigration enforcement. The project, which was formally launched in 2018, combines direct and virtual outreach to ensure that immigrants in all sixteen counties can understand their rights and get the legal help they need to thrive.
“Our responsive model allows us to deepen relationships, increase accessibility for farmworkers and other workers, and remain a trusted partner in communities across the state.”
— Rural Maine Project Attorney Don
AALOP Files 700th Application
The Asylum Assistance and Legal Orientation Project (AALOP) was developed in 2022 to serve asylum seekers who would otherwise not have access to assistance from immigration attorneys. Since its inception in 2022, the program has reached over 3,300 individuals who attended legal orientation sessions and outreach events, and has resulted in the filing of over 700 asylum applications.
