Maine to accommodate immigrants in hotels for a year, costing $1.9 million.
Small Communities in Maine Struggle to Accommodate Immigrants
Small communities near the Maine-Canada border are facing a unique challenge as they are inundated with immigrants who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border and ended up homeless and unable to work in northern New England.
Maine, following in the footsteps of Massachusetts, New York City, and New York state, is now grappling with the financial and logistical difficulties caused by the release of over 2 million immigrants into the country since President Joe Biden took office.
Choosing Maine as a Destination
Most of the newcomers, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, crossed the border into Texas before making their way to Maine. They were drawn to the area due to the growing central African population, according to Jessica Grondin, director of communications and digital services for the city of Portland.
Since January, approximately 1,600 immigrants, including asylum-seekers, have traveled to the capital city. With a population of 68,000 residents, this influx of newcomers poses significant challenges for the city government.
“While we’re the largest city in the state, we are a pretty small large city, and we don’t have a lot of the revenue streams,” Grondin explained.
Struggles with Housing
In April, the city temporarily housed 300 immigrants in the Portland Expo building while searching for longer-term housing solutions. As a state that provides general assistance to individuals regardless of immigration status, Portland found itself in a difficult position of accommodating those who arrived.
City and state officials faced challenges in finding long-term housing for families in the expo center. Grondin revealed that renting a hotel in Freeport for up to a year would cost over $1.9 million, in addition to a second hotel in Lewiston for several months.
Recently, yellow school buses transported 191 people, comprising 60 families, to hotels in Freeport and Lewiston. While the state can reimburse cities in Maine for 70% of the hotel costs, the remaining $500,000 will need to be covered by the city.
Seeking Employment Opportunities
One of the biggest challenges faced by immigrants is finding lawful employment. While immigrants released at the border can obtain work documents from the federal government, they must wait six months after making an initial asylum claim.
Maine Sens. Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I) have introduced a bill to reduce the waiting time for work documents to 30 days. Grondin expressed support for the proposal, emphasizing that immigrants would be welcomed into the state’s workforce.
Impact on Other Cities
Maine is not the only place struggling with accommodating the influx of immigrants. Cities like New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., have also faced significant challenges and have called for federal assistance.
New York City, in particular, has received shelter requests from nearly 100,000 immigrants over the past year. Immigrants often choose large cities for job opportunities, connections with family or friends, and the availability of resources.
Despite the difficulties, these cities have maintained an open-arm welcome, although the strain on resources has prompted some adjustments. New York City, for instance, recently rescinded its commitment to provide same-night shelter to homeless families arriving before 10 p.m.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how cities like Maine will navigate the challenges posed by the influx of immigrants.
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