MAINE, USA — City Councilors met today to discuss where asylum seekers can go to get shelter from the cold.
According to our partners at the Portland Press Herald, over 600 migrant families have come to Portland since June.
City Manager Jon Jennings said he’s reached out to Gov. Janet Mills in hopes that her office would be willing to respond.
“The real critical need is for the governor to intervene from the leadership perspective,” Jennings said. “This is not just a Portland issue. It’s a regional issue.”
Around 90 asylum seekers are spending nights in a nearby gymnasium, but they must pack up their belongings and leave each morning.
Since November 18, 52 families, totaling 188 people, have arrived in need of emergency shelter.
The city declared an emergency and opened the Expo as a temporary shelter, which eventually helped over 450 asylum seekers.
A warming center at the city’s Family Shelter on Chestnut Street can only accommodate about 40 people, which is less than half of the total population that currently needs it.
The families have entered the U.S. at the southern border and have boarded buses in San Antonio to come to Portland.
The bus tickets for many families have been funded by Catholic Charities.
The University of Southern Maine has offered the Sullivan Gymnasium as a temporary space from December 23 through January 19.
City Councilor Tae Chong said USM has offered to staff the facility, including with student interns, providing some meals and English language classes at no cost to the city.
But other councilors were hesitant to rejoice since USM offered to house asylum-seekers over the summer in dormitories in Gorham, but it didn’t work out, largely because of logistical issues.
City Manager Jon Jennings told the Portland Press Herald the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has requested that the San Antonio branch no longer send the families to Maine.
He said the message was sent because families were being bused to the city's family shelter and were unprepared for the Maine winter.
Read the full story here.
