By Andy O’Brien 

The Maine Legislature is back in session and is expected to consider a number of bills that could impact immigrants. At press time, most legislative proposals have not been printed yet, but we expect lawmakers to draft bills to prevent gun violence, expand MaineCare for non-citizens, build more affordable housing units, and create intensive English language programs.  

In the November election, Republicans picked up seats in the Maine House of Representatives, so now Democrats have just a three-seat majority, for a total of 76-73. The House also has one liberal-leaning independent representative. In the Maine State Senate, Democrats hold a 20-15, five-seat majority over Republicans. 

Governor proposes cuts to General Assistance, SNAP 

The state is looking at a $450 million budget shortfall over the next two years, due largely to the drying up of federal COVID-19 relief money. Maine’s deficit also includes a $118 million shortfall in MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program, driven by a significant increase in enrollment in the program. 

Photo:  DHHS logo 

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In response to the shortfall, Gov. Janet Mills has proposed a budget with significant cuts, including to General Assistance (GA), as well as elimination of the hardship exemption for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefit programs – for non-citizens only. This would mean that non-citizens who have a work permit, but who lose their job, would not be eligible for SNAP or TANF, which provides cash assistance to families with children. 

General Assistance provides emergency assistance to people who have no other way to pay for basic necessities like food, housing, and utilities. If the budget passes as proposed, del Rio said more people will end up unhoused and forced to live on the street or in shelters. 

Kathy Kilrain del Rio, a policy analyst with the advocacy group Maine Equal Justice, noted that people can be laid off through no fault of their own. For example, many immigrants who worked at Abbott laboratories in Westbrook throughout the height of the pandemic public emergency, producing COVID-19 testing kits for the benefit of all, later were abruptly laid off due to declining demand. 

“When you’re laid off, it takes time to find new employment, so folks in that position [are currently] eligible for state-funded benefits like SNAP or TANF, but under the governor’s proposal they wouldn’t be,” del Rio said. 

Further cuts in the governor’s proposed budget are restrictions on housing assistance through the GA program to a maximum of three months in a 12-month period, per household, for all qualified applicants. In addition, municipalities could not exceed the maximum levels of assistance for any of GA’s assistance categories for more than 30 days out of a 12-month period. 

The restrictions on housing assistance, which would impact all GA recipients regardless of immigration status, would only apply to people in permanent housing, and not to people living in temporary housing or emergency shelters. 

The governor’s budget cuts essential programs for very low-income people, and raises sales taxes that disproportionately impact people with the least money, instead of imposing income taxes on wealthier households that can afford it, del Rio noted. 

“We have revenue choices that are much more equitable and would impact people who have more ability to absorb those changes,” said del Rio. “Why would we do that to people who have already been struggling so much?” 

However, Republicans have drawn a red line on imposing any new taxes, including the sales taxes proposed in the governor’s budget. 

“Maine people are being asked to tighten their belts,” said House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Dist. 12) at a press conference on January 14. “These are basically poor taxes – taxes on poor people. And they’re being asked to pay for this out-of-control, reckless spending.” 

The Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs will discuss the proposed cuts to General Assistance on 1/23/25 @ 1PM. For information on submitting testimony either in person, over Zoom, or in writing: https://mainelegislature.org/doc/11361

Lawmakers frequently make changes to their proposed budget based on public input. 

To find the contact information for your state representative, visit legislature.maine.gov/house/house. To find your state senator go tohttps://legislature.maine.gov/senate.