Know Your Rights

On January 9, 2025, MidCoast New Mainers Group offered a “Know Your Rights” info session at the Welcome Center with an immigration lawyer who gave the community sane, useful guidance on responding appropriately and safely in different situations in which their right to be here might be challenged.

The message for asylum seekers was to get good information, not to trust everything you hear or see in the media, and, above all, to stay calm- you are not deportable unless you are convicted of a crime or miss your immigration court date.

One important piece of information she repeated was that marijuana use is only legal for US citizens- Federal law supersedes state law and so asylum seekers can be charged and deported if they are caught using marijuana in any form.

We hope to host a similar session for volunteers in the near future.