PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Officials in Maine’s largest city are waiting on a decision from the state about whether new African immigrants here can receive state assistance.
The Portland Press Herald reports the Portland City Council has canceled a meeting that had been scheduled for Monday to discuss financial support for the asylum seekers. Mayor Ethan Strimling says the city postponed the meeting to give Gov. Janet Mills more time.
More than 200 people were staying at an emergency shelter in Portland late on Thursday. Most are from Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and they’re seeking asylum in the United States.
City Manager Jon Jennings says the number of immigrants arriving in the city seems to have stabilized in recent days. They’re staying at a basketball arena.
