She is representative of the 12 million immigrants who came through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954, and the millions who have come to this country since then looking for opportunities and a safe place to live for themselves and their families. With descendants from California to Maine she is a reminder to us that we are a nation of immigrants. The establishment of this fund recognizes that eac
h wave or generation of immigrants will face their own unique challenges as they seek to establish a new life for themselves and is one effort to address the challenges faced by Maine’s newest immigrants. Maine’s Asylum Seekers – Legal Challenges and Needs
Asylum seekers are individuals who come to Maine or the US legally in search of protection because they have been persecuted or fear persecution from their home county because of their race, religion, membership in a social group, their political opinion or national origin. To be granted protection or asylum, an asylum seeker must go through a very complex legal process. The average length of time for an asylum case decision is 3 years from the date of arrival in the US. Challenges to being granted asylum
• Asylum seekers do not have a right to a government appointed attorney, and must apply within a 1 year time period form when they first arrived in the US.
• The asylum application process can be very challenging for many people who have escaped from a dangerous and traumatic situation, have family members who may still be at risk and do not speak English or understand the US legal system.
• Limited Legal Resources - Adequate legal representation can have a dramatic impact on whether or not an application is successful. While Maine has some limited free legal assistance for asylum seekers, the demand far outweighs the availability of lawyers who are able to take on cases and/or cover related legal expenses.
• Asylum seekers are not allowed to work until at least 6 months after they file their application for asylum so they have no ability to raise any money to cover their legal expenses. Once they begin to work, quite often it is in a survival job and they are barely able to cover their basic necessities and have a limited ability to cover any legal expenses. The Katarzyna Fund was set up to provide financial support for legal expenses for asylum seekers living in Maine who have nowhere else to turn for help and who face life threatening circumstances, such as deportation back to a dangerous situation in their home country if they do not receive such assistance.
