Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition
Room: Connecticut Room
Maine, for the past three decades, has been a refugee resettlement state. However starting in 2019, there was a considerable shift in the demographic of immigrants coming to Maine. Majority were not refugees. They are asylum seekers with almost no federal or state benefits attached to their immigration status. To make matters worse, they are not legally allowed to work until 180 days from their arrival dates. In the past three years, Maine has witnessed thousands of asylum seekers arriving with just a piece of clothes on their bodies in hearts full of hope for a better and safe tomorrow.
To help, Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition (MIRC) has developed programs and raised money to directly support our Ethnic Community Based Organizations (ECBOs) and their efforts to fill in the gaps where cities and state services end or never reach for the newly arrived undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers.
Speakers:
- Beatrice Balou, Action for Life (AFL)
- Vanuza Mateus, YETU CONSULTANTS, LLC
- Toto Muteba, Food Program, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC)
- Jacqueline Mugwaneza, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC)
- Fatima Saidi, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC)