Immigration

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today voted in favor of the NO BAN Act, important legislation that would prevent any future president from implementing a xenophobic immigration ban such as former President Trump’s Muslim Ban. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives 218 to 208. “The Muslim Ban only served to stoke xenophobia and senselessly cut thousands of… Read more »

U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging him to increase the number of H-2B visas to help small businesses fill seasonal job openings for the upcoming season.  The letter calls on Secretary Mayorkas to increase the existing 66,000 H-2B visa cap to 135,320,… Read more »

Last night, Congresswoman Pingree joined more than 70 Members of Congress in opposing the Trump administration's new proposed regulation that will dramatically rewrite our nation's asylum laws.  The rule, published jointly by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) on June 15, 2020, would eliminate long-established procedural protections… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) welcomed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s announcement that 35,000 additional H-2B visas will be released but expressed frustration that the number is still is not enough to meet the needs of Maine’s seasonal businesses and that it contains new measures that could limit Maine employers’ access to needed workers. Pingree said as a… Read more »

U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today led a bicameral, bipartisan group of their colleagues, including Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine), in a letter to Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf urging the administration to immediately increase the statutory cap of H-2B visas… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today voted to pass H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, of which she is a cosponsor. The bipartisan bill is  immigration reform legislation designed to support farm businesses who rely on H-2A visas to fill positions in a tight labor market and allow long-time agricultural workers in the U.S. to… Read more »

U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Don Beyer (D-VA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ), Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Bill Foster (D-IL) today led a group of 107 Members of Congress in demanding that the White House fire Senior Advisor to the President Stephen Miller. Their letter quoted from emails Miller wrote,… Read more »

Yesterday, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sent a letter to the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) with Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH1), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH2), Peter Welch (D-VT At-Large) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME1), calling on the agency to provide information on the use of temporary highway checkpoints in… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s decision to slash refugee admissions by almost half in the next 12 months: "Past presidents have embraced America’s refugee program because they understood our standing as a beacon of hope and safety for millions of refugees across the globe. I’m heartbroken to see… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) released the following statement in response to Governor Mills’ announcement that the state will allow an influx of prospective asylum seekers who’ve come to Portland to apply for General Assistance (GA): “Governor Mills’ decision to expand general assistance funds statewide is pragmatic and a reflection of Maine’s values.… Read more »