Topline: Maine is spending $3.5 million to build apartments for illegal immigrants, where 60 families will live rent-free for two years.
Key facts: Five entirely new buildings are being constructed to house the immigrant families in Brunswick, Maine, 30 minutes north of Portland, the state’s largest city.
The apartments will be ready by February.
The state is spending another $100,000 to help immigrants fill out the paperwork for their work permits and asylum applications.
The fund was also used last year to cover two years of rent payments for 52 apartments housing asylum seekers in South Portland.
Background: The construction funding came out of the state Emergency Housing Relief Fund, whose budget has increased to $55 million from just $22 million in April 2022.
The Maine State Housing Authority manages the fund. The department spent $5 million on payroll in 2022, with six employees taking home salaries between $100,000 and $150,000, according to OpenTheBooks.com.
Maine has seen a surge of illegal immigration over the past year. Arrests at the Canadian border have nearly tripled, and the state’s refugee and asylum seeker population is expected to double.
Gov. Janet Mills plans to establish an Office of New Americans, a new state department focused on helping immigrants integrate into the workforce. There is no price tag attached to the plan yet, but similar offices in other states have cost tens of millions of dollars annually.
Critical quote: U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) is a staunch critic of Biden’s immigration policies and their impact on Maine.
“Most of us understand that nations need borders, those borders should be secured, and we should enforce the immigration laws on the books,” Golden recently said.
“Illegal immigration threatens our national security and undermines American jobs. It’s time for Congress and the Biden administration to come together and pass legislation to meaningfully address issues at the border. It should be a top priority in Washington, just like it is in most of America.”
Summary: As immigration to Maine increases, taxpayers have been funding more and more temporary solutions, such as the free housing being built in Brunswick.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com
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