Pingree to Introduce Legislation to Help Asylum Seekers Apply for Work More Quickly

Statement

At a meeting today in Portland to discuss immigration issues with a coalition of Maine mayors, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced her plans to introduce federal legislation that would reduce the amount of time asylum seekers must wait to apply for a work permit. The bill will mirror legislation Angus King introduced in the U.S. Senate.

"What I heard today from these mayors is that the asylum seekers coming to their communities have opened up many opportunities--from increasing diversity to strengthening the labor force--but also a number of challenges," said Pingree. "One of the biggest is that asylum seekers must wait six months before they are eligible to work. My legislation would sharply reduce that period, so they can more quickly support their families and add their skills to Maine's workforce."

Under a federal law passed in 1996, asylum seekers aren't eligible to work for 180 days after they apply for asylum (they can apply for the work authorization after 150 days). In that time, they have few means to support themselves. Pingree's bill would allow asylum seekers to apply for a work authorization immediately and be eligible to work after 30 days. She plans to introduce the legislation once the House is back in session after Labor Day.

Held at Portland City Hall, the meeting with the Mayors' Coalition on Jobs and Economic today was attended by four Maine mayors--Portland Mayor Michael Brennan, Westbrook Mayor Colleen Hilton, Saco Mayor Don Pilon, and Augusta Mayor David Rollins. Also in attendance were staff of Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Christopher Hall, Maine Equal Justice Partners Executive Director Robyn Merrill, and Representative Drew Gattine of Westbrook, House Chair of the Legislature's Committee on Health and Human Services.

The meeting touched on a number of issues, including the work waiting period; the long backlog asylum seekers face in getting decisions on their applications; federal programs to help communities provide English skills to new immigrants; and challenges in credentialing that keep highly educated and skilled immigrants from getting work in fields they are qualified for. The mayors also said that the new Mainers present an economic opportunity for their communities, because they are highly educated and actively want to work.

"Easing this transition for asylum seekers and Maine communities is a complicated problem, but I think there are commonsense changes we can make on the federal level to help--things like making sure there are the staffing resources needed to reach quicker decisions on asylum applications, giving our communities adequate assistance for educating and training new populations, and clearing up bureaucratic hurdles like the work waiting period," said Pingree. "I applaud the Maine mayors I met with today who have embraced these people in their communities and are working hard with limited resources to offer support. I valued hearing their feedback and look forward to working with them on this critical issue."

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