Meet the Vulnerable Congressman Who Helped Spark an Immigration Crisis in Maine
16th September 2022
A vulnerable Maine Democrat spearheaded an effort to make migrants eligible for his state’s welfare program, a policy that may hurt him at the ballot box in November given that it has resulted in a costly overflow of asylum seekers in the city of Portland.
As a state legislator, Rep. Jared Golden championed a bill in 2015 that declared asylum-seeking immigrants eligible for the state’s General Assistance program, which provides free hotels, meals, and other essentials to elderly and homeless Mainers. As a result, an estimated 1,200 immigrants are now receiving emergency housing in Portland and are unable to work until they receive government approval, a process that can take several months. Portland officials in May informed federal immigration agencies that the city’s hotels reached full capacity and are unable to shelter additional asylum seekers—just as federal funds for the program are set to expire.