Maine Town Becomes Unlikely Refuge For Somalis Seeking Asylum

LEWISTON, Maine (Sinclair Broadcast Group) — Many asylum-seekers fleeing desperate circumstances in the Mideast and Africa are ending up in, of all places, Lewiston, Maine.

“Since mostly of the Somalis have a large families, so they were looking [for] a safe place,” Somali immigrant Said Mohamud told Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Sharyl Attkisson, host of the new show “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”

Their arrival is not without controversy: the town is facing the challenge of dividing up limited resources among Americans on waiting lists for assistance and the newcomers from places like Burundi, East Africa. Under federal law, asylum-seekers–unlike refugees–are not allowed to work and are not entitled to federal welfare while their applications are pending. That’s why they come to Maine: it’s one of the few places that does provide welfare benefits to asylum-seekers.

The welfare policy has been the subject of heated debate in Maine in recent months. Some residents want state taxpayers to reimburse cities like Lewiston for part of the cost of the asylum-seekers. Others think the state should not provide the help.

Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald says asylum seekers are “costing us a fortune.”

It’s not the first time Lewiston has grappled with immigration challenges. In 2001, Somalis fleeing civil unrest began coming to Lewiston in large numbers, and the town was unprepared for the financial and cultural challenges they posed.

Mayor Macdonald warns those flocking to the Pine Tree State to “leave your culture at the door.”

“We have a certain culture here. Don’t start mixing ours in with yours,” he explained to Attkisson. “Look, you’ve got to assimilate.”