In the whitest U.S. state, thousands of miles from the Mexican border, the debate over immigration is quickly becoming a central issue in one of the nation's most closely watched governor's races.
With its close-knit communities and a practice of labeling non-natives as "from away," Mainers have a reputation for being insular. But they have also embraced the need for immigrants as the state's population ages and declines.
Since January, more than 30,000 children, mostly from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala have crossed the nation's southern border illegally and have been placed with sponsors throughout the country. The eight minors in Maine are a fraction of the thousands sent to states including New York, California and Florida.
Immigration advocates say LePage could hurt Maine's reputation as a welcoming home for immigrants.
Maine, whose population of 1.3 million is about 94 percent white, is home to an estimated 55,000 immigrants and relies heavily on migrant workers for its blueberry harvest every August.
An influx of Somali refugees to Lewiston, a former industrial city that has fallen into decline, ignited tensions between newcomers and natives in the early 2000s. But Somalis' small businesses have since been praised for helping revitalization efforts.
Today, immigrants fleeing violence in Central Africa are drawn to Maine in part because of its safe communities and wealth of faith-based organizations that provide assistance, Roche said.
No comments:
Post a Comment