Portland – the Other One – Should be a Wakeup Call for All
April 18, 2023
While distressing, it’s not surprising that towns adjacent to the U.S. — Mexico border incur large populations of illegal aliens and asylum seekers. After all, every month more than 200,000 of them waltz through Biden’s open-door stretching from San Diego, California, to Brownsville, Texas, many settling in nearby communities. The big surprise is that after crossing onto U.S. soil, hundreds of migrants are choosing to journey 2,300 miles north to the unlikely city of Portland…the one in Maine, while they await their asylum hearings.
Despite the distance and chilly climate, Portland’s toasty-warm, sanctuary city-style hospitality, liberal benefits, and disregard for lawful status more than compensates. Portland, Maine, codified its status as a sanctuary city under a 2017 ordinance prohibiting local officials from honoring ICE detainers. Consequently, word-of-mouth is out on this once-quintessential New England town as a preferred migrant hub.
This small city of 68,311 has big problems. Since January, 930 asylum seekers have arrived in Portland, 80 more each week, most in dire need of housing assistance. This steady influx has forced officials to place them in 12 local hotels, school gymnasiums, and now for a second time, in Portland’s large Exposition Center. Costs have skyrocketed such that the city’s social services budget has increased $43 million over last year, with the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency picking up part of the tab. Making matters worse, local officials are warning that $43 million is not enough and are now suggesting a whopping 15 percent increase in local property taxes to pay the bills. Even local officials are crying “uncle.” Portland’s Director of Health and Human Services recently advised DHS that, “if your organization sends a family to Portland, Maine they’re no longer guaranteed shelter upon their arrival to our shelter.”
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2023/04/18/portland-other-one-should-be-wakeup-call-all
