Municipal Collaboration in Response to Secondary Migration: a Case Study of Portland and Lewiston, Maine

This book examines governmental and public sectorcollaboration within the context of immigrant andrefugee resettlement. The arrival of large numbers ofSomali and other secondary migrants into the citiesof Portland and Lewiston, Maine offers a uniqueopportunity to examine the nature and intensity ofthe collaborative process. This book explores how and why the collaborationbetween the two cities, the first of its type in thenation, was established, how it evolved and what wasaccomplished. The political and social environments,diverse community partners, barriers to success andthe role of leadership are studied, as well. In theabsence of comprehensive federal policies andguidelines for immigrant resettlement, it is hopedthat this study of municipal collaboration may offerguidance and inspiration to community leaders andpolicy makers, as they address the challenges andexplore the opportunities brought about by increasedimmigration in municipalities, both large and small,across the nation.