AUGUSTA — An anti-immigrant bill proposed by Rep. Larry Lockman, R-Amherst, that drew a torrent of criticism from Mainers who are sympathetic to newcomers fleeing war and oppression overseas failed to pass muster in the House on Wednesday. The Republican lawmaker pushed a trio of related bills taking aim at cities that offer sanctuary to […]
immigration
Posted inMaine
Welcome center for immigrants in Lewiston gains support
AUGUSTA — A proposal to add a welcome center for immigrants in Lewiston survived a committee session this week that stripped away a companion provision to create an Office of New Mainers to try to attract more newcomers to the state. With backing from the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, the Legislature will consider whether […]
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Feds slow to OK foreign workers for Maine tourism jobs
It may prove tougher than usual to hire the seasonal workers from foreign lands who often wind up filling temporary jobs in the restaurants and hotels that cater to tourists from Miami to Maine. Because of a dearth of available visas, the hospitality industry is having a hard time bringing in the extra immigrants it […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston mayor backtracks on immigrant warning
Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald holds a copy of a postcard sent to him asking that he help protect the city’s immigrant population from deportation. LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A Maine mayor says he was mistaken in warning the city’s immigrants about a postcard he received in the mail. Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald originally said he […]
Posted inMaine
Bill to create New Mainers Office would target Lewiston
AUGUSTA — A proposal to create an Office of New Mainers aims to attract and educate immigrants who might make Maine home. Coping with the state’s shrinking workforce and aging population, supporters said, will take a concerted effort to convince immigrants that Maine offers them a good chance for success. “We want people with the […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston mayor assures legal immigrants there is no ICE threat
LEWISTON — On Tuesday Mayor Robert Macdonald issued a statement of concern about the contents of a postcard he received in the mail at his home on Friday. According to the statement, the postcard related to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be coming into a community and deporting people. Macdonald said he was “concerned […]
Posted inMaine
Gov. Paul LePage sues Attorney General Janet Mills
AUGUSTA — In a move bound to create political fallout, Gov. Paul LePage sued Attorney General Janet Mills on Monday and accused her of a “clear abuse of power” because she wouldn’t represent him in a controversial federal case involving President Donald Trump’s two stalled immigration orders. Mills denounced the governor’s move for wasting state […]
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Diverse cultures made America great
My parents immigrated to the United States from Russia. My father arrived in 1923, my mother in 1921. He was 22 and she was 17. Neither spoke English. Dad was a shoemaker. Dad left Russia with two friends to avoid being drafted into the czar’s army. My mother left with her mother and sister to […]
Posted inNation / World
Fearing a worker shortage, farmers push back on immigration
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The head of Bethel Heights Vineyard looked out over the 100 acres of vines her crew of 20 Mexicans had just finished pruning, worried about what will happen if the Trump administration presses ahead with its crackdown on immigrants. From tending the plants to harvesting the grapes, it takes skill and […]
Posted inMaine
Maine joins attorneys general from 16 states, DC fight travel ban appeal
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The top attorneys from 16 states and the District of Columbia say President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban would hurt their higher education and medical institutions and have a chilling effect on tourism. The attorneys general urged the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a brief Wednesday to uphold a […]