Concerns raised over denial of legal access at Scarborough ICE facility

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree visited the facility on Monday, citing at least three complaints since the Trump administration began, in which individuals were prevented from having legal counsel during appointments. Pingree toured the facility alongside Melissa Brennan, a lawyer with Maine’s Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP).

"These check-ins, once considered routine, have become increasingly high-stakes under current immigration policies," said Brennan, who claimed one of her clients was forced to attend his appointment alone after she was denied entry.

Press MentionsJolene McGowanDecember 8, 2025Immigration Policy, ice detention, Racial Justice

After visit to Scarborough ICE office, Rep. Pingree says attorney access concerns remain

Maine Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said key questions remain unanswered after an oversight visit to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Scarborough on Monday. The visit comes amid renewed scrutiny of ICE actions under the Trump Administration.

Border Patrol arrests hit record high in Maine

Lisa Parisio, with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, said many of those arrested posed no threat. "Many of the impacted Maine residents who have been in this situation were in lawful immigration processes, they had valid work permits and they had absolutely no criminal record.”

Press MentionsJolene McGowanNovember 20, 2025Legal Resources, Portland Press Herald, ice detention, ICE, Chellie Pingree

Rockland immigration ordinance proposal continues to December meeting

“This informal assistance is the vast majority of the immigration assistance that we are seeing here in the state,” said Lisa Parisio. There is no centralized tracking method for seeing the full extent of these incidents, according to Parisio.

Press MentionsJolene McGowanNovember 15, 2025Enforcement, ICE, Detention, Maine Legislature

Why Dozens of Local Police Agencies in New England are Patrolling the Northern Border

Why Dozens of Local Police Agencies in New England are Patrolling the Northern Border.

Press MentionsGuest UserNovember 11, 2025ice detention, Immigration Policy

Fear of ICE is making some Maine immigrants less likely to report crimes

Until recently, the Portland-based Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project was helping a client who had been the victim of what policy director Lisa Parisio calls "violent human trafficking."

Parisio said the man was adamant about cooperating with law enforcement.

"He just repeatedly told his attorney that he wanted to do something because he wanted to make sure his abusers weren't able to hurt anyone else," she said.

Open Letter: Call for UN member states to uphold, preserve and strengthen international refugee, human rights and humanitarian treaties

The 268 faith-based, non-governmental, and other civil society organizations listed below call on UN Member States to uphold, preserve, strengthen, and celebrate international refugee, human rights, and humanitarian treaties and reject efforts to undo or undermine legal norms.

Press MentionsJolene McGowanSeptember 29, 2025Legal Resources, Portland Press Herald, ice detention, ICE, Chellie Pingree

A school driveway is no place for an ICE arrest | Opinion

Melissa Brennan is co-legal director at the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project.

On a recent sunny morning in Portland, Maine, elementary school students were arriving at Talbot Community School when something unthinkable happened. An unidentified law enforcement agent, later confirmed to be working on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arrested a parent who had just dropped off their child.

Press MentionsGuest UserSeptember 27, 2025Election, Enforcement

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