Asylum seekers arrived Friday morning in Portland from the southern U.S. border.
City spokesperson Jessica Grondin says the 28 individuals will be housed for now at the family shelter warming center, and that they are primarily from Congo and Angola.
“Like the previous asylum seekers that we received, we've been told there are a few more arrivals tomorrow morning but, beyond that, we do not have any other confirmations of folks arriving at this point,” says Grondin.
Portland City Manager Jon Jennings has said that a measure that allows asylum seekers access to the General Assistance fund, which was approved by the Mills Administration, will help provide s ome financial relief. He also says the city will work with nonprofits and surrounding municipalities to house people that can't be accommodated in Portland. Nearly 450 asylum seekers arrived in Portland this summer and were temporarily housed at the Portland Expo Center.