Gov. Paul LePage says he’s pulling Maine out of the federal Refugee Resettlement Program.
In a press release, LePage says he sent a letter today to President Barack Obama telling him that Maine will no longer be participating in the program. He says he also notified the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, as required by federal law.
In his letter to Obama, LePage says he has “lost confidence in the federal government’s ability to safely and responsibly run the refugee program.” He accused the feds of being unwilling to ensure that refugees don’t put American lives at risk.
The Refugee Resettlement Program is run by the federal government. It’s not clear what effect the governor’s action could have on refugees in Maine.
Efforts to reach the LePage administration for comment have been unsuccessful.
