Vermont Asylum Assistance Project urges more legal support for immigrants, ties counsel to workforce stability

Maggie Fry, an attorney and practice development fellow at the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project, told the Vermont House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development that access to immigration legal services strengthens both individual outcomes and Vermont’s workforce.

"Immigration law is extraordinarily complex, constantly changing," Fry said. She told committee members that many immigrants are eligible for work authorization but cannot access it without legal help, and that VAP is working to serve as a statewide intake point and to coordinate pro bono contributions from the private bar.

Fry described the stakes: someone who obtains work authorization can gain a Social Security number and access employment and educational opportunities; she gave a recent client example of an asylum applicant who received work authorization and was preparing to use it to work while pursuing asylum.

Representatives asked about sustainable funding for immigration legal work. Fry said VAP coordinates with Vermont Legal Aid, is engaging the private bar and the Vermont Bar Foundation, and acknowledged that private donations spiked with publicity but are not a sustainable long-term funder. Lawmakers discussed whether statutory or budgeted support should be pursued; Fry said a range of avenues was being explored but did not identify a single committed state funding stream.

The committee did not move to formal action at the hearing; the exchange highlighted a gap between short-term private support and the need for steady funding to meet demand for legal representation.