Gov. Janet Mills and a bipartisan group of Maine lawmakers are aiming to create a new statewide immigration office this legislative session. At a formal announcement in Westbrook Friday morning, Mills and said the office will be geared toward integrating immigrants into the workforce.
Legislation introduced earlier this week outlines several key functions for the Maine Office of New Americans, including expanding access to English language learning opportunities, boosting professional development and collecting reliable data on Maine's immigrant population.
The formal introduction follows months of planning after Mills issued an executive order last summer calling for the creation of the office.
Mills said the office could be mutually beneficial to immigrants and businesses that employ them.
"We're still facing a shortage of workers of all skill levels, especially in health care, education, and construction. Lord knows we need contractors now," Mills said. "At the same time, there are people who've moved to Maine in search of a new life who want to work here."
State Rep. Deqa Dhalac, a South Portland Democrat and one of the bill's co-sponsors, said immigration is key to bolstering workforce participation and economic productivity in Maine, which has the oldest median age of any state in the country.
"This office represents a significant step towards recognizing and supporting the valuable contributions that immigrants have made to our great state," Dhalac said.
The bill has garnered bipartisan support, and could come up for a public hearing later this month.
If it passes, Gov. Mills said the new office could be up and running next summer.
Eighteen other states have similar offices, known together as the Office of New Americans State Network.
