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3d ago

Maine Nurse Detained by ICE Released and Returning to Portland

Her release follows protests that pushed MaineHealth to work with her lawyers, prompting fresh calls for hospitals to sponsor nurses for green cards.

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Nurses at Maine Medical Center demanded the return of a coworker who is being detained by ICE. (WGME)
Nurses at Maine Medical Center are demanding the return of a coworker who is being detained by ICE. (WGME)
Debora Kapisha, a medical-surgical nurse who works with dialysis patients, has a pending asylum case, according to colleagues.

Overview

  • ICE agents arrested Debora Kapisha at Boston Logan Airport for an alleged visa overstay on July 30, 2026, and opened removal proceedings, the agency said.
  • Rep. Chellie Pingree announced Thursday that Kapisha was released from ICE custody and was en route back to Maine after a week in detention.
  • Coworkers and the Maine State Nurses Association say Kapisha has a pending asylum application and that she was authorized to work while it was pending, a claim that DHS says does not by itself confer legal status.
  • MaineHealth confirms Kapisha is a hospital employee, says staff are vetted for work authorization, and says it contacted her attorneys and offered support while her lawyers secured her release.
  • Protesters are demanding that MaineHealth formally sponsor Kapisha for an EB-3 green card; hospitals can sponsor nurses under EB-3 without a labor-certification step but the process can take years and carries filing fees and legal costs.