She noted that many who flee violence are the best educated in

canada goose uk shop Immigrants say they want canada goose uk shop

canada goose store citizen. He has been voting canada goose outlet woodbury for years and said he will canada goose outlet store uk be at the polls on Nov. 6. canada goose store

canada goose clearance last eight years haven been really great on our behalf, said Rwaganje, the executive director of Prosperity Maine, a Portland based nonprofit that provides financial literacy education and other services canada goose outlet factory for immigrants. canada goose clearance

Canada Goose Jackets Foreign born residents make up only 3.4 percent of Maine 1.3 million people, according to 2017 estimates done by the Census Bureau, but immigrants are a key component in addressing the labor canada goose outlet shop shortage, a major problem for both the state and national economies. Immigrants and their children also are a factor in the state canada goose outlet new york population growth. Since 2000, Maine population has grown by just 61,000 people, including 9,000 who were born to immigrant parents. Canada Goose Jackets

canada goose coats on sale That accounts for about 14 percent of the state population growth over the last 17 years. citizens. but who did not yet have all the documentation necessary to begin work. His administration has said welfare benefits need to be used for only the most vulnerable citizens, especially the disabled and elderly. canada goose coats on sale

LePage has been especially hostile to asylum seeking immigrants. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement over detaining undocumented suspects beyond what was allowed under state law in 2017. In 2014, the administration stopped reimbursing municipalities for General Assistance paid to asylum seekers and other legal non citizens, prompting canada goose outlet official legal challenges from Portland and canada goose outlet boston Westbrook, as well as the Maine Municipal Association.

canada goose Rwaganje said many immigrants feel LePage has overlooked the positive impacts new Mainers are having on the state, especially by providing skilled labor to the workforce. Rwaganje said immigrant workers pay sales, income and property taxes, canada goose outlet paypal contributing about $1.8 billion to the economy in the Portland area alone, according to Census Bureau figures. politician who is not paying attention to canada goose outlet germany these hard data will be off canada goose outlet in toronto track, Rwaganje said. canada goose

Canada Goose Parka At a candidates debate in Portland last week, independent Alan Caron told the story of his family, French Catholics who http://www.mycanadagoosejacket.org emigrated to Maine from Canada, and how they and other Catholics from Ireland and Italy all faced intense discrimination. He said immigrants canada goose outlet in uk will be treated with respect if he is elected. Canada Goose Parka

shouldn care what the color of their hair is or what their canada goose outlet online reviews first language is or who they worship, Caron said. should only care that they want to join us canada goose outlet miami here and build canada goose outlet winnipeg a new prosperity that will be my policy. us at the table, she says. Staff photo by Brianna Soukup

canada goose clearance sale Deqa Dhalac, an immigrant from Somalia who has lived in Maine for the last 25 years, said she wants Maine next governor to show with actions their good will toward immigrants. just do canada goose outlet uk fake the talk, walk the walk as well do everything equally, said Dhalac, a naturalized citizen who is involved in get out the vote efforts in South Portland. If a governor truly embraces immigrants they will include immigrants in their cabinet picks and in top roles within their administration, she said. canada goose clearance sale

uk canada goose us at the table, canada goose outlet michigan she said. are always on the menu. children of immigrants are also looking for inclusive leadership, Dhalac added, otherwise many will leave Maine for more diverse communities in other states, worsening the demographic challenge of being the oldest state in the nation. uk canada goose

buy canada goose jacket Shawn Moody, the Republican candidate for governor, said at the debate that he would focus on ending the long wait many immigrants face when trying to start work in Maine. He also promised to better connect immigrants who have work skills with jobs that are not being filled by using career counselors and interpreters. buy canada goose jacket

canada goose uk black friday they were an electrician, whether they were an engineer, whether they were a nurse, so we can continue their life over here instead of stopping it dead and expect them to start all over again, Moody said. canada goose uk black friday

As to public assistance, Moody echoed LePage position, saying canada goose outlet eu it should be provided long enough to ensure they are gainfully employed because that essentially what they canada goose jacket outlet uk want, the American dream, and sitting at home getting assistance and not having a pathway to employment is not doing it. POLICIES NOT FRIENDLY Ochero, 30, who came to Maine from South Sudan at the age of 17, said politicians need to recognize the contributions being made by immigrants in Maine. Ochero, vice president of the Maine Immigrants Rights Coalition, said LePage visited with South Sudanese residents when he was running for governor.

came and was very friendly towards our community, said Ochero, also the interim chairman of the South Sudanese Community Association. we know for sure his policies are not friendly towards immigrants. said he canada goose jacket outlet hoping that Maine next governor will be better at removing barriers to the work force.

we are missing out on a lot of good value that can be provided by newer immigrants in this state, he said.

buy canada goose jacket cheap Janet canada goose outlet Mills, the Democrat in the race, said as governor she would expand English language instruction for immigrants. She said 40 percent of Portland immigrants already hold college degrees an education level higher that of native Mainers. buy canada goose jacket cheap

Canada Goose sale is no reason we shouldn be able to put them to work as soon canada goose outlet belgium as possible, Mills said. need them in our work force. But Mills also said there was no getting around the basic human needs of shelter and food, and that the state should help fund local immigrant resource centers that connect people canada goose outlet in montreal with housing and work. Canada Goose sale

Independent candidate Terry Hayes urged people to have empathy for immigrants who have fled their homelands and come to Maine for a new canada goose uk life. She noted that many who flee violence are the best educated in their countries, and that Maine economy had been saved by immigration multiple times in the state past.

cheap Canada Goose frankly, if we don welcome them and help support them until our government let them support themselves, then it to our detriment, Hayes said. cheap Canada Goose

Canada Goose Online HAVE A LOT AT STAKE Ahmed, an assistant principal at Deering High School, came to Maine 18 years ago after fleeing Somalia and canada goose outlet london then living in a refugee camp in Pakistan for 10 years. He said he wants an inclusive governor, noting that working class people in Maine all share similar struggles, regardless of their backgrounds. Canada Goose Online

Canada Goose Outlet That includes access to affordable health care, an canada goose parka uk enormous issue canada goose outlet price for immigrants this year, Ahmed said. LePage resistance to an expansion of Medicaid hurts many low income working immigrant families, he said. Ahmed said he hopes Maine next governor will be, enough in that they can put his or herself out there and ask, need your help, how can we do this? Let be creative, let work together.’ expectations for the next governor are high in Maine immigrant community, and a partisan who pushes for one party rule of the State House will not be embraced, he said. Canada Goose Outlet

canadian goose jacket came to this country with the canada goose outlet store calgary hope that things are better here and we don want our hopes to die, we have a lot at stake, Ahmed said. party ruling will lead to one person ruling and we know what one person rule looks like firsthand. Thistle can be contacted at 791 6330 or at: canadian goose jacket.