Could a large influx of culturally-similar refugees help save Detroit?
Lewiston, Maine received a large influx of Somali refugees and immigrants. While Lewiston has a huge Somali population, this was not by choice on the part of the town reps. The mayor even wrote an open letter to the Somali community urging them to look elsewhere when relocating because of the enormous stress the population has placed on town infrastructure. This actually relates rather well with the original question. Lewiston is the second-largest city in Maine, but after all the mills closed in the 50s and 60s there’s very little blue-collar work to be found. The unemployment rate for the Somali population in Lewiston is about 50%. I reckon the same thing would happen in Detroit. Without jobs, refugees will be a burden on city services in an already cash-strapped Detroit.
