Maine’s Sen. Angus King (I) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D), along with Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine), called on Friday for a permanent extension of work permits for immigrants, weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
The move would represent a substantial, last-minute executive action by the lame-duck Biden Administration, an action that runs contrary to the more hardline immigration policies Trump won election on in 2024.
“Maine needs every willing worker! That’s why @SenAngusKing, @GovJanetMills and I are calling on @DHSgov to codify the 540-day automatic extension for expiring work permits for immigrants + asylum seekers—which will ease backlogs while supporting workers, families *and* employers,” said Rep. Pingree on X.
The Maine politicians penned a letter urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou to permanently codify a temporary rule granting 540 extra days at the end of expiring work authorizations.
Though the 540-day extension has been in effect as a temporary measure under President Joe Biden, President Trump’s administration, intent on deporting immigrants in the country illegally, is unlikely to extend the measure.
Asylum seekers often enter the country illegally before claiming asylum and are given work permits within six months, regardless of whether their asylum claims have been approved.
In most cases, asylum applications take several years to be adjudicated, which leaves the applicant in a gray zone.
Technically, such individuals are paroled illegal aliens, but their status as asylum applicants makes them eligible for the work permits, along with some federal and state benefit programs.
Often, asylum seekers make “defensive,” as opposed to “affirmative,” claims, entering the U.S. illegally and only claiming asylum if they are apprehended by law enforcement in order to prevent or significantly defer their deportation.
In either case, if a claim for asylum is rejected, as the majority of claims are, the individual is expected to self-deport.
The U.S. lacks reliable data on how often such individuals voluntarily return to their home countries.
In cases where an asylum claim is rejected, the work permit expires within 30 days. However, the removal of the work permit is also self-enforced, as the federal government relies on the denied asylum claimant to report to their employer that they no longer have legal work authorization.
Maine’s left-wing politicians claimed in their letter that codifying the 540-day extension could benefit the economy not just in Maine, but across the country, as they observe employers struggling with staffing issues.
“Our state of Maine, for example, has nearly two jobs open for every job seeker—every willing and able worker makes a difference in our communities, especially in essential but understaffed sectors like health care,” the elected officials said in the letter.
The politicians also claimed that ending the extension could leave immigrants completely unable to support their families.
The letter comes after President Trump’s reported pick for “Border Czar,” Tom Homan, promised to carry out a historic mass deportation campaign and warned politicians harboring immigrants that they are committing a felony and will be treated accordingly.
“I’ve said a hundred times, and last week, don’t cross that line. It is a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien from immigration authorities, don’t test us. The nation wants a safe country,” said Homan.
They’re not immigrants. They are illegal aliens! Immigrants knock at the door and are invited. They deserve a protected flight back to their country or origin.
99% of them do not work.
Some of the kids & older men and some women work but most of them don’t work.
These charlatans aren’t fooling anyone.
They want them to continue to illegally vote and to create a permanent underclass.
Somehow I don’t think this will stop deportations.
If Pingree, King and Mills are ‘for it’ then you know it is not for the good of Mainers!
ILLEGAL says it all…You entered the United States without paperwork, knowing that some States would ‘take care of you’ – Free housing, free medical, free food, free education, all paid for by the citizens of that state WHO DO NOT WANT YOU HERE!!!!!
Try entering Canada or Mexico with papers, or any country in Europe and you will be shown the exit as fast as possible.
BTW Pingree… where did you obtain all the millions of dollars? Maybe you should be investigated… insider trading like Pelosi??????? I do not see you spending YOUR monies on these illegals, except maybe to employ a few at your mansion…..
Another Bright Bulb mistake!
But have you taken any into your homes?
You want their vote
But you do not pay for them
It is my job you say!
The Pinhead, Anus, Jackboot Janet era can come soon enough.
Correction: Can’t come to an END soon enough.
Pingree king and mills care much more about illegal alien invaders than they do for you.
“… every willing and able worker makes a difference in our communities, especially in essential but understaffed sectors like health care,” the elected officials said in the letter.”
I would bet any amount of money that not one of the “asylum seekers” (illegal aliens) who have broken into our country illegally have the skills, credentials or education to positively contribute to the healthcare system as a licensed competent healthcare professional… More leftist lunacy to gaslight the public to support their insanity
Pour federal dollars into Maine. Pour illegals into Maine. Pour drugs into Maine. Pour windmills into Maine. And, then,comes the crash, and Maine pours the tar and feathers over the political criminals responsible for this mess.
Patriot is correct.
These people are law breakers and ILLEGAL ALIENS, call them what they are, they need to be deported, period. Start with that housing complex in Brunswick that is filled with them. You want asylum and/or to immigrate to the USA do it from the embassy in your country of origin otherwise DO NOT bother coming here because you should be deported.
These DemocRAT-Communists are more worried about ILLEGAL ALIENS instead of our own citizens and some are veterans who served honorable. When are Mainers going to wake up? Oh I forget Mainers are too lazy and stupid to take the effort to learn how evil these Communists truly are. Prove me wrong!!!
“Maine needs every willing worker!” If they are working why do we need to build or find all this FREE housing paid for by the real working taxpayers?
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge-ing Czarina Mills, Anus King, Silly Pingree! A pox on all your houses to all you morons that keep voting for the clowns.
IT’S YOUR FAULT!
Hey Pedro !
Come on up here to Maine .
If you knock up your wife Lupita once a year , you both can take automatic three month paid vacations , have free medical care , live the rest of your lives without working too very hard ,while all your spawn get instant citizenship in America .
How Maine is That !
THANK YOU DEMOCRATS .
2 Maine last Senators. There policies have made Maine toxic for Maine workers.
If all of these illegals are working then the should be an investigation on why they are receiving any state/fed benefits.
if they have a legal work visa they are covered, if Mills does anything to protect Illegals, handcuff her and lock her up
Think I will skip breakfast after looking at this picture of the three grinning socialistic Demorats.
Asswholes
When Jan 29th comes A lot of under table snowsholvers will be missing!
oh sure, we cant let these good people get kicked out and deported …… lets add a 1% tax to every working person and business in the state and tell them its for 12 weeks of PAID VACATION !!! more money to pay for these ILLEGAL SCUM.
No problem, just another illegitimate executive action to reverse in January so suck it KPM. Another thing, if Brandon can retroactively pardon then I think congress should be able to retroactively impeach joe.
These evil losers apparently dont get what the election was about, and arrogantly move forward with their failed policies. Send them all home.
Did these idiots actually see the election results? The continued browning up of the state of Maine is a shit show and those three jokers know it. Unfortunately Maine is 2 years behind in realizing this is a disaster in the making.
Hell no
In Maine , Angus walks on water in the minds of too many .
We must purge our state from these far leftist. They are strictly concerned about special interests groups and don’t give a damn about us taxpaying citizens.
Most of these migrants are good people. Not all though! The ones who are criminals or who have no intention of supporting themselves must go and go soon.
Amazingly somehow they got reelected?????
I can say from experience that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people on welfare in Maine who are totally capable of working whatever jobs that the Three Stooges say they need illegals for.
Instead of replacing Mainers with illegals, we must replace Anus, the idiot from District 1 and Janet the Toad!
And if Trump needs help finding and deporting illegals, there’s a 77 million man PATRIOT army ready, willing and able to help!
And if these Democrats get in the way……
sucks being them!
Are they immagrints or fugitives?
Its time to start charging politicians with sedition and conspiracy.
Evidently what Mills, King and Pingreee don’t understand is their little ruse can be undone by executive order. Their end around to protecting illegal workers will be undone as it is basically against the law to hire people who have committed a crime by entering the United States illegally.
Pingree, King and Mills were especially selected NOT ELECTED!
Ask yourself why the entire New England region is infected with such idiocy.