We all like to think of our state as unique, and in a lot of ways Maine truly is. Founded in 1820, Maine has a proud history of self-sufficiency, hard work and the driving determination of former Gov. and Gen. Joshua Chamberlain, all of which make it different.
But Maine is not unique in the benefits it derives from immigrants, and I am calling on Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King to stand up for our state and our nation in support of two bills that have already passed in the House: the American Dream and Promise Act (HR 6) and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (HR 1603).
The American Dream and Promise Act would offer a sense of safety and security to folks who have been productive members of our local and national economy, often for decades. There is currently not a way for them to obtain citizenship or even the peace of mind that comes with residency, but there should be, and that’s what this bill would do.
The other bill, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, would make a big difference, too. During the pandemic, it became incredibly clear how essential frontline workers truly are – and nothing is more frontline than the fields and farms where our food comes from. Maine’s economy relies on farmworkers, from the potato fields spanning from Houlton to Caribou to the egg producers in Turner. Stabilization of this workforce and safety in our food production chain is something we all should agree upon.
I work as an immigration attorney in Boston and have been a homeowner in Maine for over 25 years. As a high school and college student, I worked many jobs in Maine from picking blueberries to washing dishes and from cooking in restaurants to stocking shelves. I know firsthand how important immigrants are to our local and state economy.
Maine had 28,129 immigrant workers who comprised 4 percent of the labor force in 2018. Over 5,000 of those workers were assisting our loved ones in health care and social assistance jobs. Immigrant-led households in Maine paid $437.7 million in federal taxes and $193.9 million in state and local taxes in 2018. Moreover, 2,368 immigrant business owners accounted for 2 percent of all self-employed Maine residents in 2018 and generated $15.3 million in business income. In short, immigrants in Maine are working hard and contributing to our state economy.
But beyond that, I also know that Americans overwhelmingly support providing permanent legal status and a path to citizenship for unauthorized people who have made this country their home and are working hard and contributing to its prosperity and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immigrants who would benefit from these actions are the same neighbors we see daily working and helping us at lumberyards in Augusta, restaurants in Portland and grocery stores in Lewiston. Two-thirds of Americans favor allowing unauthorized immigrants to obtain legal status and apply for citizenship, and even more of them support Dreamers and agricultural workers receiving citizenship, according to Public Opinion Strategies and Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group polling.
I’m urging Sens. Collins and King to understand that we want immigration solutions that unite and serve our state and national interest. We sent our senators to Congress to act in the best interests of Maine’s residents, and these bills will do exactly that. Passing the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act will strengthen our state’s families and its economy and live up to our values as a people.
Sure, I would like to see even more reforms, since our immigration laws haven’t been updated in more than a generation. These bills are a step in the right direction, and then Congress can take further strides to modernize the rest of our immigration system, giving us a smart, workable plan forward not just for Maine but for the country as well.
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