After starting 20 years ago as its first staff attorney, she’s now executive director of Maine’s only statewide immigration legal services organization. Despite the “increasingly unjust immigration system,” she’s also optimistic about the future.
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Attorney Sue Roche recently marked 20 years at the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, a nonprofit organization with full-time offices in Portland and Lewiston, bimonthly office hours in Milbridge, consultants for immigrant detainees at the Cumberland County Jail and a statewide reach.
The Northeastern University School of Law graduate started as ILAP’s first staff attorney in 2000 and became executive director in 2013. Mainebiz caught up with her to find out about the organization's 2021 goals and priorities.
Mainebiz: What is ILAP’s mission?
SR: ILAP works for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants. Our focus is to ensure that immigrants with low incomes are treated fairly and have the help they need to navigate our country’s increasingly unjust immigration system. Founded in 1993, we are Maine’s only statewide immigration legal services organization.
MB: Can you give examples of cases?
SR: We prioritize clients who are unlikely to attain legal status on their own or face severe consequences if their application is unsuccessful, including cases involving asylum, children and youth, family separation and survivors of domestic violence, trafficking or crime. Recent cases include an elderly Angolan woman who brought her son and grandchildren to Maine, and parents from Syria who reunited with their children after being separated at a refugee camp in Europe for two years.
MB: What does a new administration in Washington mean for immigrant communities?
SR: We are encouraged by the first steps of the new administration to reverse the damage of the last four years. We were grateful to see President Biden introduce a comprehensive immigration bill on his first day in office. We know that the flaws in our immigration system are rooted in systemic racism and will require rigorous and ambitious action.
MB: What are your 2021 priorities and fundraising goals?
SR: Our top priorities include expanding outreach and collaboration with Maine’s immigrant communities, deepening our statewide presence, increasing the number of people who need immigration legal assistance that we can serve, and advancing racial justice and equity for immigrants. We will need to increase and diversify our fundraising to support this growth and are confident that our many dedicated supporters will help us reach these strategic goals.
MB: ILAP has set a goal of building equity and anti-racism into all aspects of its work. What progress would you point to so far?
SR: In our strategic plan, we committed to building equity and anti-racism into all aspects of our work, including programming, interactions with clients and communities, internal staff policies and culture, and board governance. We will also amplify Black and immigrant-led partners in our advocacy work, while continuing to build a more inclusive organization. Internally, we are working with a team of consultants to educate ourselves and to transform our organization by applying a racial justice and equity lens to our development. Ultimately, we aim to disrupt the power dynamics inherent in providing legal aid and as a white-led organization working primarily with Black Mainers and other people of color.
MB: For other organizations in Maine looking to bring more diversity to their boards, what’s your advice based on your experience?
SR: The board of directors holds significant power and responsibility in determining the direction and vision of an organization. It is critical that the voices of Black, Indigenous and other people of color are meaningfully represented on the board and in board leadership. Building diversity of leadership requires an organization-wide commitment, active listening and relationship building with underrepresented communities and a willingness to change internal processes and practices.
MB: What are your hiring plans in 2021, and any workforce challenges you’ve had to overcome during COVID?
SR: We were lucky to retain all of our staff during COVID because of the Paycheck Protection Program loan we received and the dedicated community members and funders who support our work. Our hiring plans in 2021 will be dependent upon increased funding as we expand capacity to move toward meeting our strategic plan goals.
