Washington Post
By Sarah Ferris
June 13, 2014
Maine’s
Department of Health and Human Services will press on with a plan to
exclude undocumented immigrants from the state’s welfare program after a
weeks-long brawl
with Maine’s Democratic attorney general.
The
effort, led by Republican Gov. Paul LePage, would ban towns from
spending state funds on emergency aid for illegal immigrants. Democratic
Attorney General Janet Mills
has fiercely criticized the plan, which she warned could “make every
town in Maine a mini immigration office,” according to a report Thursday
by the Portland Press Herald.
Between 50 and 90 percent of local emergency aid budgets come from state grants, which totaled about $13 million last year.
LePage
initially sought to exclude both illegal immigrants and asylum seekers
from the state’s cash-strapped fund, arguing that it should be preserved
for the elderly
and disabled. His administration said the latest plan would save $1
million and impact about 1,000 families.
Illegal
immigrants are currently ineligible for federal aid programs, such as
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid.
Mills
was reelected to Maine’s top justice post in 2012, marking the first
time in a decade that the state’s governor and attorney general
represented different parties.
In her latest clash with LePage, Mills accused his administration of sidestepping state lawmakers to carry out the plan.
“The
appropriate thing to do would be to respect there are three branches of
government, not one. Assuming there’s merit to the idea, put it to the
Legislature, put it
to public hearing, to debate and discussion with full transparency, ”
she told the Bangor Daily News on Thursday. “Instead, they wait until
the Legislature’s gone and do something by press release.”
LePage
is one of the most vulnerable Republican governors in the country. He
won office in 2010 with just 38 percent of the vote, about 10,000 votes
ahead of the second-place
independent candidate. This year, he faces Rep. Mike Michaud (D) and
that same independent, Eliot Cutler; polls show Michaud leading his two
rivals.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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