Hundreds of asylum seekers from sub-Saharan Africa live in Maine's major cities. These men and women live in limbo: they are undocumented, but protected from deportation. However, they cannot work until after they have resided in the United States for at least six months.
Maine is now embroiled in a political battle led by Gov. Paul LePage to stop state-funded welfare for asylum seekers.
Photo via Portland Press Herald
From the story:
"Citing a 1996 federal welfare-reform law that restricts assistance to undocumented immigrants, LePage vowed to withhold reimbursements to communities that continue to provide state funds to such non-citizens through a program known as General Assistance. The GA program uses state and local funds to provide people who have little or no income with basic necessities such as rental vouchers to prevent homelessness and vouchers for food or medicine."
Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald.