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Inside this issue: A Message from Our Executive Director ..............2 Staff & Board ......................2 Supporter Spotlight ..........3 Legal News & Advocacy ............................4 Afghanistan Project ...........5 Fall Gathering Recap ..........6 Q&A with ILAP’s Summer Interns .................8 Around 207: Community Legal Education ..................9 Pro Bono Update ...............10 Leave a Legacy ..................10 Bienvenue! Bankwana! .....11 Get Legal Help & Support ILAP ..................................12 BEACON FALL 2022 IMMIGRANT LEGAL ADVOCACY PROJECT The Immigrant Haiti TPS / Continued on Page 3 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER @ILAPmaine CONNECT ONLINE www.ILAPmaine.org The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project helps low-income immigrants improve their legal status and works for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants. Our Mission: Haiti TPS: Protections, Challenges, and Possibilities “ W hen someone comes from another country it’s because they want to live and they’re looking for safety,” says Ricardo,* who fled Haiti several years ago and came to the U.S. with his wife. Leaving their home in Haiti was hard. “We young people are supposed to be coming up and leading our country,” he says. “But the power that’s in place has forced us out through violence and made us afraid to live in our country.” The Protections: Safety & Survival As Haitians living in the U.S., Ricardo and his wife are eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a protection that allows people in the U.S. to remain when safe return to their home country becomes impossible. TPS also provides access to a work permit, a document that is essential for safety and survival. As ILAP’s Policy and Outreach Attorney Lisa Parisio explains, “While TPS -which does not provide a pathway to citizenship - is no substitute for the permanent protections that millions of immigrants in the U.S. need, it matters tremendously to safeguard human lives.” Haiti was most recently designated for TPS in 2021 due to the country’s political upheaval and violence, a reality directly linked to past and ongoing U.S. and French imperialism, racist economic systems, and unparalleled environmental destruction. “Everyday people are dying,” reflects Peterson,* who was also forced to flee Haiti and now lives with his family in Maine. “A joy for me was when they said they were granting TPS to [more] Haitians,” he says. “That made me happy.” The Challenges: Bias & Backlogs Once in the U.S., Haitians and other Black immigrants must navigate a racist immigration system. Last fall, just months after the announcement of Haitian TPS, U.S. Border Patrol on horseback attacked Haitian families * The names in this story have been changed to protect our clients’ identities. ©Shutterstock/Phil Pasquini2 • ILAP • Fall 2022 BOARD of Directors SUE ROCHE Executive Director Inside ILAP n A Message From Our Executive Director Alicia Curtis, Esq. President Gloria Ines Aponte C. Vice President SUE ROCHE Executive Director STAFF Lauren Abrams (she/her) Legal Support Assistant, Jesuit Volunteers Corps Jennifer Bailey, Esq. (she/her) Senior Project Attorney Sarah Barton (she/her) Development & Communications Lead Melissa Brennan, Esq. (she/her) Managing Attorney, Portland Office Kate Chesney, Esq.(she/her) Senior Staff Attorney/Intake Supervisor Treva deMaynadier, DOJ Accred. Rep. (she/her) Senior Accredited Representative Michelle Gentry, Esq. (she/her) Senior Asylum Program Attorney Leah Glowacki, Esq. (she/her) Senior Staff Attorney Felix Hagenimana, Esq. (he/him) Asylum Outreach Attorney Alice Kopij, Esq. (she/her) Managing Attorney, Lewiston Office Catherine N. Lindgren, Esq. (she/her) Afghanistan Project Attorney Maggie Loeffelholz, Esq. (she/her) Immigrant Children’s Project Attorney Emma Morgenstern, Esq. (she/her) Staff Attorney Danny Muller Operations Coordinator Francine Ngabu Senior Intake Paralegal Lisa Parisio, Esq. (she/her) Policy and Outreach Attorney Nolwenn Robison, DOJ Accred. Rep. (she/they) Legal Program Associate Susan Roche, Esq. (she/her) Executive Director Chelsea Russell, DOJ Accred. Rep. (she/her) Forms Program Paralegal Laura Simocko (she/her) Development Director Barbara Taylor, Esq. (she/her) Senior Staff Attorney, Rural Maine Project Nadine Twagirayezu, DOJ Accred. Rep. Senior Paralegal Eben Albert, Esq. Jenny Beverly, Esq. Deanna Harnett Lindsay Kay Peter Landis, Esq. Arnie Macdonald, Esq. Robyn March, Esq. Amy Donahoe Bruning Treasurer Thomas Douglas, Esq. Secretary Diane Mutagoma Priya Natarajan Shafaat Qazi Blanca Santiago Leslie Silverstein, Esq. Andi Summers Caroline Teschke, M.D. It is ILAP’s unique structure that makes us a powerful advocacy voice. A s new groups of immigrants arrive in Maine, we are working to adapt and expand our services. We are also investing in collaborations with partners to change the immigration system that is failing our clients and country. Three years ago, ILAP staff and pro bono attorneys identified serious problems and high denial rates at the Boston Asylum Office. In response, we teamed up with the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Maine School of Law, ACLU of Maine, and Dr. Basileus Zeno to investigate our concerns. As you will read in this newsletter, our findings were published in a report that got national media attention and sparked leading members of Congress to call for a formal review of the Boston Asylum Office. We continue to push for action and are hopeful it will lead to real change in how asylum cases are adjudicated. It is ILAP’s unique structure that makes us a powerful advocacy voice. Through our direct legal services and outreach, we have a concrete understanding of how immigration policies and procedures impact those in the immigration system. We then bring together impacted communities, allies, and national partners to advocate for systemic solutions. Our distinctive role was evident again last fall, when we launched a project to help Afghans in Maine try to reunite with loved ones stranded in Afghanistan and help those evacuated to the U.S. apply for legal status. Through our legal work and close connections with Maine’s Afghan community, we recognized their inadequate immigration options and, together, turned to advocacy. In this newsletter, you will read about our collective work to push for passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act. If passed, it would provide permanent legal status to Afghans evacuated to the U.S. and represent another small step towards justice. As we face new challenges and victories together, we will continue partnering with immigrant-led groups to understand and elevate their priorities, address their legal needs, and work together to advocate for a more just immigration system. Visit our website at ilapmaine.org to learn more. As always, you can also sign up for our email updates at signup.ilapmaine.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for your support and solidarity. ILAP • Fall 2022 • 3 Haiti TPS / Continued from Cover W hen the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick (UUCB) burned down 11 years ago, many organizations provided support to build a new church. UUCB began hosting concerts to raise money for the building fund and, once it was paid off, wanted to give back to the community that had supported them. The result was Concerts for a Cause. Concert Committee member Louise Gephart says, “Concerts for a Cause allows people in the wider community...to enjoy a great time as well as to contribute to organizations in the community. What could be better?” ILAP was honored to be selected, alongside Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, for the 2019-20 Concerts for a Cause. After two years of postponed concerts, UUCB was able to host their long-awaited series, raising over $3,000. “We are not in the business of re-inventing wheels,” explains Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos. “There are so many organizations, like ILAP, who are centered in vulnerable or marginalized communities; they know what is needed and are working in relationship with the people most affected...We do our best work in collaboration and are happy to partner with so many organizations.” One third of the money raised through Concerts for a Cause supports the church and the other two thirds goes to local non-profits. Over the last decade, Concerts for a Cause has raised $25,000+ for 11 non-profits. “As Unitarian Universalists, we believe in justice, equity, and compassion in human relations,” reflects Concert Committee Chair Susan Michaud. “ILAP helps many Mainers with the asylum application process, helps their families stay together, and helps them to improve their immigration status…that is justice, equity and compassion!” We are so grateful to UUCB for bringing great music to our community while directly supporting organizations making a difference in Maine! Head to uubrunswick.org/programs/concerts-for-a-cause to find a list of upcoming concerts. If you’re feeling inspired to support ILAP in your own way, visit ilapmaine.org/grassroots-fundraising! SPOTLIGHT SUPPORTER The Novel Jazz Septet kicked off the 2021-22 Concerts for a Cause series last November. Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick Concerts for a Cause at the southern border. These violent and racist acts were part of the mass expulsion of Haitians that continues today under policies like Title 42. Most starkly, earlier this year as the U.S. government was welcoming mostly white people fleeing violence in Ukraine, it was expelling mostly Black people back to Haiti despite deeming it unsafe for return. Bureaucracy and backlogs are also severely delaying TPS applications, and by extension, people’s ability to work. “I applied back in October. It’s already been a year [and I’m still waiting],” explains Peterson. "Peterson’s case is not unique. The majority of ILAP’s 35 clients who applied under the 2021 designation are still without a decision after a year, which is consistent with the experience of applicants nationwide,” says Senior Accredited Representative Treva deMaynadier. The Possibilities: Permanent Protection Under TPS, people are left living in limbo. “TPS is something temporary, so you can’t do a major project...like financing a house,” says Peterson. “You just don’t know the future.” For him, being forced to return to Haiti “would be like being thrown into a fire.” The use of TPS is critical for the immediate safety of Peterson and more than 155,000 Haitians in the U.S. Yet TPS holders and all undocumented immigrants deserve a clear pathway to citizenship. For Ricardo, citizenship for TPS holders “would be better because people could feel like they really live somewhere and that they had a country that could receive them.” ILAP joins Ricardo and others calling for this path to citizenship now! To read more about our TPS advocacy efforts, check out page 4.4 • ILAP • Fall 2022 LEGAL NEWS & ADVOCACY Take Action Today! There are easy, meaningful ways you can make your voice heard and advance justice and equity for immigrants. Visit ILAP’s Take Action Page at ilapmaine.org/take-action! Congress Calls on DHS Inspector General to Investigate Boston Asylum Office Based on ILAP Report In May, Senators Markey and Warren, Representative Pingree, and others delivered a letter calling on the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General to open an investigation into the Boston Asylum Office. Their letter was sparked by the findings of Lives in Limbo: How the Boston Asylum Office Fails Asylum Seekers, a report ILAP published with the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Maine School of Law, ACLU of Maine, and Dr. Basileus Zeno. The report analyzed extensive documents produced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and more than one hundred interviews. Our findings were clear and disturbing: the Boston Asylum Office’s asylum grant rate is half the national average due to racial and language bias, burnout, and other due process-eroding pressures. In October, ILAP and our co-authors sent a letter endorsed by more than 40 organizations and law firms to New England members of Congress, calling for more oversight on the bias and lack of access to asylum at the Boston Asylum Office. Learn more at ilapmaine.org/impact-litigation. Biden Administration’s Inconsistent Use of TPS Protects Some, Leaves Others in Danger The Biden administration’s quick designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine after war broke out was a clear and effective use of this life-saving protection, in line with Congress’ intent in creating TPS. However, the administration’s use of TPS has been inconsistent, with delayed or denied protection for other countries facing humanitarian emergencies and war. The administration announced in July that current TPS holders from Venezuela would continued to be protected, but declined to allow those who more recently arrived in the U.S. to apply. ILAP continues to call for expanded protection and rejects the ongoing politicization of people from South and Central America seeking safety in the U.S. In September, ILAP researched and drafted a letter as part of its work in the Temporary Protected Status–Deferred Enforced Departure Administrative Advocacy coalition, calling yet again on the Biden administration to immediately designate TPS for Ethiopia given the impossibility of safe return. This letter, endorsed by more than 100 organizations, was part of a sustained advocacy effort for more than a year. In October, Ethiopia was designated for TPS, a long- overdue decision that will safeguard an estimated 30,000 Ethiopians in the U.S. ILAP joins ongoing calls for new TPS designations for Mauritania, Mali, and Guatemala. Hear directly from TPS applicants in this issue’s cover story and learn more here: tpsdedaac.org. ILAP Remembers Lives Lost in San Antonio ILAP continues to call for the end of the racist and deadly Title 42 policy. Title 42, put in place under the previous administration and continued under the Biden administration despite promises to end it, uses the pretext of public health and COVID-19 to block people from exercising their right to seek asylum. As noted in the cover story, Title 42 disproportionately impacts Black Haitian migrants seeking safety. A recent FOIA request also revealed that as of May 2022, more than 30,000 children under age 3 in need of protection had been expelled under the policy. When people – who are already fleeing for their lives – do not have access to asylum at the border, they are forced into even more harrowing situations. In June, more than 50 migrants lost their lives in the back of a tractor trailer in San Antonio, Texas. ILAP mourns all impacted by this preventable tragedy caused by U.S. policy. In September, Reuters reported ILAP • Fall 2022 • 5 I t has been more than a year since the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban seized control. ILAP’s Afghanistan Project continues to work alongside local and national partners to respond to the urgent needs of Mainers with loved ones in Afghanistan and to assist in meeting the legal needs of Afghan evacuees resettled in Maine. Over the last few months, we have celebrated some policy announcements such as TPS for Afghanistan, asylum requirement exemptions for Afghans who may have been forced to interact with the Taliban while in Afghanistan, and a shortened Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) process. But Afghanistan Project Attorney Catherine Lindgren says, “too little is being done by our government to save the lives of those left behind after two decades of war, and to provide a path to permanent stability for those who have made it to the U.S.” Afghans Left Behind Tens of thousands of Afghans who worked with American forces and applied for SIVs remain trapped in Afghanistan, on the run from the Taliban. Their lives are at risk due to U.S. bureaucracy and backlogs. Similarly, according to a recent investigation by Reveal, data from USCIS shows that more than 66,000 Afghans applied for humanitarian parole (HP) between July 2021 and May 2022. Of those, only 132 were approved. HP would give Afghans who remain in danger in Afghanistan or third countries a pathway to temporarily come to the U.S. to seek safety, but USCIS argues that HP is not the appropriate tool to seek safety in the U.S. Afghan Evacuees in the U.S. ILAP has been working alongside other members of the Evacuate Our Allies Coalition to advocate for the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) and celebrated its historic bipartisan and bicameral introduction in August. Throughout the fall, we have been working to achieve swift passage of the AAA so that Afghans can have a clear path to apply for legal permanent residency. As of mid-September, 7,000 Afghan evacuees had applied for asylum nationally and just 330 had been approved. The AAA would help provide peace and stability to Afghans whose journey has already been fraught, and it will help ease the burden on our overburdened immigration system. n This summer, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognized the AILA Afghan Response Task Force with the 2022 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award. Catherine (third from right) stands with other Task Force members during the award presentation at the AILA Annual Conference on Immigration Law in June. ILAP’s Afghanistan Project: One Year Later that instead of taking steps to end Title 42, the Biden administration is considering expanding it. Keeping the Pressure on for Citizenship June 15 marked 10 years since then-President Obama announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While DACA has provided dozens of young people in Maine – and hundreds of thousands across the country -with opportunities that would have otherwise not been possible, they still hang in legal limbo, and wait for Congress to pass permanent protections. On the 10th anniversary, a DACA recipient in Maine said, “We have been waiting 10 years, now is the time for citizenship.” For as long as it takes, ILAP will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with DACA recipients and other undocumented people in Maine calling for a pathway to citizenship. ILAP joined Presente! Maine and Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC) in a day of action for Maine’s Dreamers in June. Later in the summer, we advocated for Maine’s Congressional delegation to support legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for millions by updating “the registry.” ILAP applauds Representative Pingree for joining as an original co- sponsor. n STAY INFORMED: n Sign up at signup.ilapmaine.org for ILAP’s monthly email updates!6 • ILAP • Fall 2022 O n the evening of September 20, ILAP was delighted to bring our donors, volunteers, and partners together in-person for the first time in almost three years! We welcomed more than 100 supporters of Maine’s immigrant justice movement to Après in Portland to build connections and imagine a society more fully rooted in shared humanity, compassion, dignity, and respect. “We are so appreciative of all the people who make our work possible, and this event is our small way of saying thank you,” said Executive Director Sue Roche. “We hope everyone walks away with new inspiration for advancing immigrant rights in Maine and creating a more welcoming and stronger state for all of us.” Photo credit: Hannah Cormier, @riptidephotographyhcILAP • Fall 2022 • 7 See more pictures and learn more about our event partners at ilapmaine.org/event-2022 Dr. Mariam Raqib (pictured left) of Afghanistan Samsortya , a grassroots organization sowing seeds of change in Afghanistan, was our guest speaker and highlighted the importance of community and connectedness in her work. “I maintain that meaningful, lasting change is only attainable through mutual support, community empowerment, and the commitment of everyday people to support their fellow human beings, be they here in Maine or halfway across the globe,” Mariam shared. Portland favorite Bondeko , a musical collaboration between Ylli Brekofca, Namory Keita (pictured far left), and Orson Horchler, charmed the crowd with their energetic blend of musical and cultural traditions. If you couldn’t join us, be sure to check out their new single “Osman Aga.” And Artists’ Rapid Response Team (ARRT!) hosted an interactive banner- making project with guests adding words and images inspired by the theme “we stand with immigrants.” We look forward to displaying this beautiful banner (pictured right) in our Portland office and during community workshops and events! Rounding out the night was an oyster bar generously donated by Maine Oyster Company and delicious appetizers from Yardie Ting . “The event was very classic and beautiful,” reflected guest and ILAP volunteer Magalie Lumiere. And Pro Bono Panel member Daniel Keenan asked us to “please keep planning more events like this one.” We’ll do just that! So if you weren’t able to join us this year, we hope to see you at a future gathering. Special thanks to Norway Savings Bank for their generous sponsorship, and to our Development Committee and event volunteers for all their help!8 • ILAP • Fall 2022 What drew you to interning with ILAP? Izza: As the global community engages with modern challenges including a warming planet and the legacies of colonialism, I am sure that Maine can be a place that not only accepts people who have been displaced from their homes but can provide the resources necessary for Mainers New and Old to lead dignifi ed and empowered lives. I think ILAP is a key place to engage with this work. Miki: ILAP’s work in supporting immigrant communities both in direct service and larger scale advocacy is what really drew me to ILAP. Not just acknowledging but working to dismantle the bigger power structures that harm immigrant communities alongside direct client work is what’s necessary, and crucial in framing our clients’ issues as symptomatic of a bigger failing in the immigration system. What is something surprising or important you learned during your time at ILAP? Miki: Th ough I had some personal and professional experience in immigration applications, working with such a wide range of clients really elucidated the incredible number of barriers non-citizens face in the immigration system and how inaccessible it is. Additionally, watching my supervisor do so much as a DOJ Accredited Representative defi nitely has given me more to consider for post-grad plans instead of law school exclusively! Sahra: While working at ILAP I truly understood just how important human compassion and empathy are. Every time I met with a client I was confronted with unsettling and sad truths…I learned through my client interactions that compassion and empathy can be given silently and not necessarily in a big gesture. I was reminded that my clients didn’t need much from me in those moments of sadness and stress except to be acknowledged in their lived realities by showing presence and understanding. ILAP welcomes undergraduate and law school students as interns each summer. Our internships provide opportunities for students to gain experience and build skills while helping Maine’s immigrant community. Th is year, we were thrilled to welcome Sahra Hassan, Izza Drury, and Miki Rierson as ILAP interns. Sahra supported our Immigrant Children’s Project, Izza completed a research project focused on fi rm resettlement issues among other work, and Miki assisted ILAP’s Forms Program. Hear from each of them about their experiences this summer: Find the full interviews at ilapmaine.org/intern2022. Short-Term Internship, Long-Term Impact Q&A with ILAP’s Summer Interns MIKISAHRA IZZA Summer intern Izza Drury presented a training on Asylum Firm Resettlement law for our Pro Bono Panel. If you missed this training and are working with a client who resided in Brazil before coming to the US, please reach out to Michelle Gentry at mgentry@ilapmaine.org for more info. How did this experience impact you? Izza: This experience confirmed my interest in immigration and international human rights law, and underscored that immigration attorneys can change their clients lives, and advocacy at the national level is very important to change the systems within which immigration attorneys work as they are currently harmful, racist, and violent. Sahra: Being at ILAP this summer reaffirmed my desire to work with young people within the immigration system. Although it was hard and challenging at times, I truly felt like I was making a diff erence and I want to have that feeling every day of my life. What’s next for ILAP’s interns? Sahra entered her second year as a law student at the University of Maine School of Law this fall. She plans to continue her legal advocacy next summer as a student attorney at the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic. Miki is currently fi nishing her senior year at Bowdoin College and is continuing to volunteer with ILAP’s Forms Program. After a year at Northeastern University School of Law, Izza headed to Harvard Law School to fi nish her studies. Th ank you and good luck to all our interns! If you are interested in interning with ILAP, keep an eye on our social media and website in late winter/early spring!ILAP • Fall 2022 • 9 AROUND 207 - COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION The U.S. immigration system is unjust and very complicated, especially if you are trying to navigate it while learning a new language in a new place. ILAP seeks to empower immigrant communities across Maine through community legal education. ILAP is teaming up with partners to help immigrants living in Maine and those newly arriving learn more about the U.S. immigration system and pathways to protection. We are grateful to our partners from the Angolan Community of Maine, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC), Preble Street, University of Maine School of Law, Lewiston Adult Education and others, along with the organizations and hotels who hosted us. Thank you for the support and collaboration! Maine’s Rural Communities Rural Maine Project Attorney Barbara Taylor spends every third Saturday and Sunday in Milbridge, meeting one-on-one with immigrant community members to answer questions about the immigration system. Barbara also (virtually) attends Resources Fairs throughout Washington County and regularly joins community and network meetings across the state. Newly Arriving Asylum Seekers Over the last year, Maine has welcomed many individuals and families, most of whom will need to apply for asylum or other form of immigration protection to remain in their new home. To connect these people with the legal knowledge and support they need to navigate our country’s complex immigration system, ILAP is hosting community legal education events focused on applying for asylum and questions recent arrivals to Maine have about the immigration system. ILAP has offered immigration workshops and presentations throughout southern Maine, including at a number of the hotels where many individuals and families are staying. ILAP Asylum Outreach Attorney Felix Hagenimana teamed up with Staff Attorney Sara Cressey from University Maine School of Law’s Refugee and Human Rights Clinic for a community legal education event at the YMCA in Portland in August. Lewiston/Auburn Community ILAP recently began monthly workshops in Lewiston with our partner, Lewiston Adult Education. On the 3rd Thursday of each month from 1-3pm , ILAP staff can be found at Lewiston Adult Ed answering legal questions and providing information and referrals. Our first few sessions have been a success! Immigrant Youth The Immigrant Children’s Project works closely with Preble Street Teen Center staff to identify and address immigration needs of homeless young people . In August, the Teen Center hosted ILAP attorneys Maggie Loeffelholz, Melissa Brennan, and Leah Glowacki and summer intern Sahra Hassan for a presentation and consultations with 20+ Teen Center clients. Freeport Lewiston Auburn Portland South Portland Westbrook Presque Isle Milbridge Ellsworth ILAP and our partners led a legal education session about applying for asylum for community members at Portland’s Salvation Army.Next >