About 20 families moved into the Ramada Inn in Lewiston on Wednesday, as Portland closed the temporary shelter for asylum seeker families at the Expo building.
Among those arriving in Lewiston was Meliana Manuel, a former nurse from Angola who had been living at the Expo since April with her 14-year-old daughter
Manuel said living at the Expo was not easy, and this situation should be better.
"It's a comfortable place," she said in Portuguese. "So I'm happy."
Toto Capitao, who said he ran an electronics store and repair shop in Angola before seeking asylum in the U.S. with his 14-year-old son, said he's grateful for the new living arrangements, and that he hopes to soon be able to give back.
"Soon we'll get our work permits," he said in Portuguese. "We'll work [...] we'll pay taxes."
A spokesperson for the city of Portland said it intends to house families at the Ramada Inn for a few months on a night-by-night basis. The city has also contracted with a hotel in Freeport to house around 40 families for up to a year.
Both hotels are being paid for through Portland's general assistance program, at an estimated cost to the city of about $500,000.
