Maine’s Sen. Angus King (I) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D), along with Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine), called on Friday for a permanent extension of work permits for immigrants, weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

The move would represent a substantial, last-minute executive action by the lame-duck Biden Administration, an action that runs contrary to the more hardline immigration policies Trump won election on in 2024.

“Maine needs every willing worker! That’s why @SenAngusKing, @GovJanetMills and I are calling on @DHSgov to codify the 540-day automatic extension for expiring work permits for immigrants + asylum seekers—which will ease backlogs while supporting workers, families *and* employers,” said Rep. Pingree on X.

The Maine politicians penned a letter urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou to permanently codify a temporary rule granting 540 extra days at the end of expiring work authorizations.

Though the 540-day extension has been in effect as a temporary measure under President Joe Biden, President Trump’s administration, intent on deporting immigrants in the country illegally, is unlikely to extend the measure.

Asylum seekers often enter the country illegally before claiming asylum and are given work permits within six months, regardless of whether their asylum claims have been approved.

In most cases, asylum cases take several cases to be adjudicated, which leaves the applicant in a gray zone.

Technically, such individuals are paroled illegal aliens, but their status as asylum applicants makes them eligible for the work permits, along with some federal and state benefit programs.

Often, asylum seekers make “defensive,” as opposed to “affirmative,” claims, entering the U.S. illegally and only claiming asylum if they are apprehended by law enforcement in order to prevent or significantly defer their deportation.

In either case, if a claim for asylum is rejected, as the majority of claims are, the individual is expected to self-deport.

The U.S. lacks reliable data on how often such individuals voluntarily return to their home countries.

In cases where an asylum claim is rejected, the work permit expires within 30 days. However, the removal of the work permit is also self-enforced, as the federal government relies on the denied asylum claimant to report to their employer that they no longer have legal work authorization.

Maine’s left-wing politicians claimed in their letter that codifying the 540-day extension could benefit the economy not just in Maine, but across the country, as they observe employers struggling with staffing issues.

“Our state of Maine, for example, has nearly two jobs open for every job seeker—every willing and able worker makes a difference in our communities, especially in essential but understaffed sectors like health care,” the elected officials said in the letter.

The politicians also claimed that ending the extension could leave immigrants completely unable to support their families.

The letter comes after President Trump’s reported pick for “Border Czar,” Tom Homan, promised to carry out a historic mass deportation campaign and warned politicians harboring immigrants that they are committing a felony and will be treated accordingly.

“I’ve said a hundred times, and last week, don’t cross that line. It is a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien from immigration authorities, don’t test us. The nation wants a safe country,” said Homan.