Republican Party's anti-immigrant tweets anger Portland mayor - and Republican senators

https://www.pressherald.com/2019/03/15/tweets-from-maine-republican-party-draw-criticism-from-portland-mayor-ethan-strimling/

AUGUSTA — The Maine Republican Party issued a series of tweets late Thursday falsely blaming immigrants for outbreaks of infectious diseases that health officials say are actually caused by reduced vaccination rates among U.S. residents.

The tweets, which also target the city of Portland and immigrants seeking asylum there, were condemned by Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling and some members of the Republican Party.

One tweet read, “We need a serious talk not only about vaccination but migration. Portland, & many US cities, have homeless crises driven by asylum claims & a record number of migrants crossing the border from countries lacking vaccination causes certain diseases to return.”

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“Disgusting and straight out of the anti-immigrant playbook,” Strimling said in a text message to the Portland Press Herald. “For a century nativist forces have tried to paint our newest neighbors as bringing disease. Every time the claim has been proven false and exposes the messenger for what they truly are.”

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