Region, Income Shape Immigration Views

More Mainers view immigrants as strengthening rather than burdening the state, but residents are divided along political and regional lines on immigration questions involving welfare, public health – and Donald Trump. In a statewide Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram Poll, 48 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that “immigrants today strengthen our state because of their hard work and talents,” compared to 32 percent who believed immigrants “are a burden … because they take our jobs, housing and health care.” Not surprisingly, however, Democrats and Republicans had starkly different responses to the questions and to controversial statements on immigration made by Trump and Maine Gov.