BIPARTISAN SUPPORT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO LEGAL NON-CITIZENS FOR BASIC LIVING NEEDS

AUGUSTA–The Maine Senate voted 29 to 5 for a measure that would allow legal non-citizens, including asylum seekers, to receive general assistance for basic living requirements such as shelter, food, and clothing for up to 24 months.

“What would you do if one-thousand people in your community were going to be homeless,” asked Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond of Portland. “Right now, we have a solution to this crisis that our state is going to be facing in a matter of weeks. Are we going to put our head in the sand and say, ‘tough luck’ or are we going to do something? Today, we did something together that will help our future and our economy.”

Under the amendment introduced by Republican State Senator Amy Volk of Scarborough, any person who is lawfully in the United States, including legal non-citizens and asylum seekers, who are fleeing detention, rape, torture and other forms of persecution in foreign countries, are still eligible for General Assistance for no longer than 24 months.

“All of us came from somewhere. We are looking to give a hand up, not a hand out to people who are lawfully here who are simply waiting for our federal Congress to act,” said Democratic State Senator Anne Haskell of Portland. “This is a small step to ensure that people are fed, clothed, and housed.”

The measure will now go to the House for initial consideration.

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