Update: See Breitbart’s story about the withdrawal out just this afternoon, here.
Maine’s Governor Paul LePage deserves praise for at least rocking the boat in Maine regarding the UN/US State Department Refugee Admissions Program, but as he withdraws the state, the federal government will simply assign a non-profit federal contractor (probably Catholic Charities) to run the program.
Maine will thus become a so-called Wilson-Fish state. If the governor then sues the feds, as Tennessee is doing, then he has a fighting chance for a real showdown over states’ rights.
Here is the news from WMTW (ABC) yesterday:
Gov. Paul LePage wrote to President Barack Obama on Friday, saying Maine is pulling out of the federal refugee resettlement program.
“I have lost confidence in the federal government’s ability to safely and responsibly run the refugee program and no longer want the State of Maine associated with that shortcoming,” his office said LePage wrote. “The federal government has proven to be an unwilling partner with states in ensuring that refugee resettlement does not unduly put American lives at risk.”
Maine joins Kansas, New Jersey and Texas in pulling out of the program, LePage’s office said.
It is a beautiful day and I’m going outside. For new readers I’ve written about Wilson-Fish so often over the years and have no energy to talk about it one more time. Use our search window, type in ‘Wilson Fish’ and enjoy….
For a HUGE archive on Maine, click here.