FREEPORT — Gov. Paul LePage’s latest town hall forum Tuesday night included exchanges between LePage and Freeport state Rep. Sara Gideon, and several constituents who angrily left the event. LePage opened the meeting at the Freeport Community Library as he has prior forums in other communities, talking for several minutes about ways to reduce the […]
asylum seekers
Posted inLetters
Lewiston now the welfare city
My husband and I are hard-working individuals who work 40 to 50 hours a week, yet we struggle financially. In Lewiston, people on welfare get free food, free housing, free medical and lots of money to use, however they wish. That is ridiculous. People on welfare should not get cash. The Lewiston City Council has […]
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Posted inLetters
C. Lansley: There is a difference
I wish to note inconsistencies in Robert Clark’s letter of July 1. Persons who are refugees are in this country legally and are not undocumented. I believe the assertion that asylum seekers are creating an imbalance in assistance programs is inaccurate, as those in that category are of a relatively small number. Christopher Lansley, Auburn
Posted inLetters
R. Clark: Gov. LePage doing it right
As a registered independent voter, I applaud Gov. Paul LePage’s efforts for trying to change the status quo with regard to welfare and General Assistance. Maine cannot be all things to everyone. If state government is to take care of anyone, the elderly and truly disabled should be the highest priorities. Maine citizens should not […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Portland fund to help asylum seekers for 1 year
PORTLAND — Operating details are unclear, but a new city fund will assist immigrant asylum seekers with basic housing, food and medical costs. The $2.63 million Community Support Fund was created June 24 when the City Council approved a $225 million municipal budget for fiscal year 2016. It will prevent an estimated 500 families with […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Mainers have a choice about which side of history to follow
I would like to talk about a bit of fairly recent American History. I promise it is not boring. During the late 1930s, a ship with more than 900 Jews was turned away from several ports, including the United States, when they were fleeing Nazi Germany and their likely demise. The ship was named the […]
Posted inLocal & State
Asylum seekers ask to join suit challenging LePage ban on aid to undocumented immigrants
PORTLAND — Two women seeking asylum from the country of Burundi have asked to join a lawsuit challenging a state policy proposed by Gov. Paul LePage that would eliminate reimbursement to communities that provide General Assistance to undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine and Maine Equal Justice Partners filed […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston mayor: City can’t afford more asylum-seekers
LEWISTON — Mayor Bob Macdonald says he has bluntly asked the Rev. Jean-Pierre Tshamala to stop encouraging asylum-seekers to move to Lewiston. Macdonald maintains the pastor is building his flock at the city’s expense. “I’ve told him, ‘We cannot afford it. I understand your situation, but you have to remember, the people here, we’re at […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Pastor helps settle asylum-seekers moving to Twin Cities
AUBURN — They’ve fled the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville and Cameroon, leaving Africa, sometimes leaving everything, and they’ve chosen to settle in western Maine. They don’t come with much and they don’t get federal aid. Many don’t speak English. Most can’t legally work for months. “People might say, ‘Who are these […]