Immigrants are vital to Maine’s communities and economy. They work in health care, agriculture, hospitality, and education. They raise families, pay taxes, and help counter our state’s aging population and shrinking workforce. They are our neighbors. Yet right now, Congress is advancing a federal budget reconciliation bill that would directly harm immigrants — including those with legal status — while punishing states like Maine for efforts to welcome and support New Mainers.
The proposed legislation includes sweeping changes that would deny food assistance, restrict access to health care, and increase surveillance and policing of immigrant communities. These provisions threaten the direct health, safety, and economic stability of thousands of Maine residents and undermine the foundations of the economy. They also set a dangerous precedent for how we value immigrant lives and contributions.
Food assistance cuts would leave families hungry
The current proposal would bar many immigrants with legal status, including refugees and asylees, from receiving assistance with grocery costs through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These are individuals who have followed the legal process to remain in the US, have built lives in our communities, and are already eligible for these essential supports under current law.
Eliminating food assistance will leave families — including children — without enough to eat. It will increase hunger and hardship not just for individuals, but across entire communities. These cuts would also strain local food pantries and community organizations already stretched thin.
States like Maine penalized for ensuring health care access
Maine has made proactive policy choices to cover pregnant people, postpartum individuals, and children — regardless of immigration status — through state-funded health programs. These efforts reflect Maine’s values and a commitment to ensuring the most vulnerable people, no matter where they were born, can access the care they need.
The reconciliation bill would penalize states like Maine for these decisions by slashing federal Medicaid reimbursement. In Maine, that would mean a $630 million loss over seven years, all for spending its own money to provide care to about 1,000 people. This is a heavy-handed attempt by the federal government to dictate state policy and spending decisions.
Removing health care insurance coverage does not eliminate the need for care, it just increases the likelihood of higher direct costs for families, health issues left unaddressed until they are emergency-level, and uncompensated care for hospitals. The overall health and strength of our health care system is put at risk by moving backwards on health care insurance coverage, costs, and access for Mainers.
Child Tax Credit rollbacks will exclude children in immigrant families
The bill also weakens access to the Child Tax Credit, which is one of the most effective tools we have for reducing child poverty and helping families with the cost of raising children. Although the Senate version avoids the House’s most extreme provisions, it still denies full access to people whose parents do not have Social Security numbers, affecting 2 million children nationally, including children who are US citizens.
This change is a step backwards from current law, and these families would receive less support, even as their households struggle with rising costs. This kind of exclusion harms children, hinders families’ economic security, and deepens inequality.
Expanded enforcement funding will increase fear and discrimination
In addition to removing supports, the bill increases funding for immigration enforcement — expanding detention centers, deportations, and surveillance infrastructure. These measures are already creating fear among immigrants with and without legal status, as well as among US citizens who may be subject to racial profiling. In Maine alone, there have been recent examples of immigration action against people who are working legally as corrections officers, studying in graduate programs on student visas, and even detained for more than two months based on nothing more than a tip from a member of the public.
The consequences of this overreach are real. Research shows harsh enforcement of immigration laws leads to children missing school, sick folks avoiding the hospital, and workers leaving jobs, particularly in agriculture and construction. It even makes immigrants afraid to go to the police, leading to underreporting of crimes like domestic violence. This isn’t safety — it’s state-sanctioned harm.
Immigrants in Maine deserve better
Maine has long benefited from the strength, resilience, and contributions of immigrant communities. Immigrants in Maine pay millions in state and local taxes each year and play critical roles in keeping our state running. When we exclude them from food, health care, and tax credits, we’re not just hurting individuals — we’re undermining our entire economy and eroding our values.
Maine Center for Economic Policy urges federal lawmakers to reject this budget in its current form. Congress should craft policies that reflect the dignity and humanity of all people and recognize the essential role immigrants play in Maine and across the nation.
