BLESSINGS OF VOICES AND CULTURES (Fall 2019). By the numbers, Maine is one of the “whitest” states in the country, but that story misses the long history of Maine’s indigenous and African American communities and the richness of its growing community of immigrants from across the globe. Today, there are at least 45,000 immigrants, refugees and asylees living in Maine, and they and their children are enriching the state with diverse voices and cultures. Immigrants are also an important source of labor for the state’s aging workforce. Many of these new Mainers are able to live and work in Maine because of support from the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP), the largest source of free immigration legal services in the state. Last year, ILAP’s staff attorneys and 178 pro bono volunteers provided full legal representation to 370 clients including 183 asylum seekers, and ILAP maintained a 100% approval rate for cases that reached a final decision. In addition, ILAP helped nearly 1,400 people with immigration forms and other consultation services, offered “Know Your Rights” trainings to more than 1,700 people across the state and worked with advocacy partners to improve state laws and policies that affect immigrants. By any measure, ILAP’s small staff is working at capacity, yet the organization stepped up to help when hundreds of asylum seekers arrived in Maine from the southern border over the summer. The Clowes Fund was pleased to partner with other foundations to help ILAP hire a part-time lawyer to assist these families, many of whom were temporarily living in a sports arena, and we remain supportive of ILAP’s staff as they help immigrant families find safety, health and happiness in their new home.

In the image, ILAP clients like David and Adele (on ILAP board of directors) live and work in all 16 counties in Maine, as well as originate from 90-100 countries.

Clowes Fund Field(s) of Interest: Immigrant Services

Grantees