PORTLAND, Maine — It has been three months since an influx of asylum seekers came to Portland, catching Maine's largest city off guard.
In that time, the city has scrambled to set up an emergency shelter, provide medical care and find housing for hundreds of men, women and children.
City officials are under pressure. The asylum seekers have to be out of the Expo in nine days. Meanwhile, the city is also dealing with another development at the Expo -- chicken pox.
Since June 9, there have been 427 asylum seekers who have come to Portland to stay at the Expo.
Right now, there are 215 asylum seekers still staying there.
That number has fluctuated since they first started arriving in June. Some of them have already moved on to other states, many others finding a place in Maine to call home.
"We've housed 50 families at this point, which is over 150 people" said Jessica Grondin, the Director of Communications for the City of Portland.
Grondin says the city still has a lot of work to do.
The Asylum seekers need to be out of the Expo by August 15, or they'll have to move to one of the city's overflow shelters.
"We have to get down to 110 (people) because that is all we can hold in the overflow (shelters), so we're still looking for housing for another 100 people for sure," explained Grondin.
The city and the Maine Center for Disease Control is also working to contain two confirmed cases of chicken pox, which they believe were brought into the Expo by asylum seekers who arrived at the end of July.
"There is a two week incubation period, so it's something they could have gotten at the southern border and had once they got up here."
The infected families are being separated within the Expo to try and minimize exposure. The CDC has also made vaccinations, paid for with federal money, available to any asylum seeker who wants one.
The CDC says it's also possible that additional cases of chicken pox could be identified.
Meanwhile, the city is trying to figure out how to dole out 900-thousand dollars it has received in private donations to help the asylum seekers.
They're also waiting on federal money earmarked for US cities caring for asylum seekers.
Sen.Susan Collins, who was in Maine Tuesday, says FEMA recommends that Maine apply quickly for the funds.
"I think it's essential. I think there's going to be a lot of competition for the money," Collins said..