Immigrant aid program gets federal boost

AP | 10/11/01

[Native American Female Vet]

Immigrant aid program gets federal boost

By Associated Press, 10/11/2001 05:00

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) Officials announced that Lewiston and Portland have received a $250,000 federal grant to hire more social workers in a program called New Arrivals, aimed at helping immigrants find homes and jobs.

''This program will help refugee families who have been living in shelters or staying with friends and family find affordable and available housing in other parts of Maine,'' said Robert Duranleau, director of the social services division of Portland's Health and Human Services Department.

''It is almost impossible for a large family to find affordable housing in Portland,'' Duranleau said. Part of the goal is to help Somali people move out of Portland's overloaded shelters. Since the beginning of the year, the city has sent many Somalis to Lewiston.

In one year, Portland's Family Shelter Program found temporary places to live and other aid for more than 70 families, consisting of a total of 375 people. In the past six months, Lewiston has resettled about 60 families.

For the past four months, people have been coming straight to Lewiston without a stop in Maine's largest city. ''People know now there's no housing there,'' Abdiaziz Ali said.

A Somali immigrant himself, Ali helps people obtain employment. He also fields calls seeking other sorts of assistance at all hours. ''I cannot tell them I am off the clock,'' Ali said. ''They don't understand.''

Some calls come from Somalis living in places as varied Albuquerque, Atlanta and Kansas City. The new workers two case managers and one cultural skills trainer will work in both Lewiston and Portland.

The goal of the program is to help families become self-sufficient. Arrivals continue.

On Oct. 5, two new families moved to Lewiston. On Wednesday, three more came.

[quebecois]

Oh, goodie....will they get tax-payer subsidized flight training as well?

[dts32041]

gee no wonder OSL's terror troopers spent their last night in Maine.

Hope Olyie, susie, billy, georgie, tomie, and baldie and anguish are happy.

[caddie]

Muslims.

Stop allowing them to immigrate.

Deport all illegals.

Deport all whose visas expire.

Moratorium on new visas.

Citizenship never.

[dennisw]

We need these fifth columnists like a hole in the head!

[Brownie74]

Part of the goal is to help Somali people move out of Portland's overloaded shelters. Since the beginning of the year, the city has sent many Somalis to Lewiston.

Coming to a neighborhood near you soon, rather you want it or not!!

What are these people doing here if they have to live in shelters because they can't find a job? Amazing ain't it!!

[1lawlady]

I've administered this type of Federal grant, and this isn't a lot of money. However, most of the $250k will be spent on salaries for instructors, who in themselves may be legal or illegal immigrants. Federal grantees are barred from asking the citizenship status of not only their clients, but their employees. It's crazy, I know. That's one reason I got out.

This money would be better spent on hiring some new Border Patrol Agents. You could get (5) new agents for that price, or (4) with an actual working vehicle to use among them. Whatever configuration you use, I'm confident it would double the agents currently on patrol in Maine.