Mayor Asks New Immigrants To Stay Away

In the nation's "whitest state," a mayor warns that Somali immigrants are taxing the city's resources.

1 minute read

October 15, 2002, 10:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"In a public letter earlier this month, [Mayor] Raymond warned of the toll taken by so many immigrants on the city's finances and cultural fabric...it's an American dilemma... small cities and towns now wrestle with issues once seen as the province of large cities...Many Somali immigrants, and some white Lewiston residents, detect in Raymond's words a whiff of xenophobia, and a fear of those with a different skin hue...Yesterday, about 250 people marched five blocks from a Methodist church to the mosque where many Somalis worship to show solidarity with the newcomers. Old-time residents outnumbered the Somali demonstrators 3 to 1 by one estimate."

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

Tuesday, October 15, 2002 in The Washington Post

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