Industries
Despite Legal Status, Fear of Forced Return to Mexico for a Dedicated Austin Teacher
When Areli Zarate crossed the border from Mexico at the age of eight, she was with her three brothers, the oldest of whom was nine. They didn’t have any adults with them—their parents were already in the United States—but the four knew that their lives were changing forever. Sixteen years… Read More
For One Young Woman, It Took Becoming a Crime Victim to Get a Green Card
Alina Luna had the grades and the drive to attend college right after high school, but she didn’t have a Social Security Number. As an undocumented immigrant who came to Atlanta from Mexico at the age of 12, she wasn’t allowed to apply for federal financial aid without it. Luna… Read More
Arizona City Council Member: “America Needs the Passion, Skills, and Experience of DREAMers”
Today, Lorenzo Sierra is a city council representative of Avondale, Arizona, a diverse city of 80,000 people. He also works with the next generation of underprivileged Hispanic kids to help them achieve. It’s a mission that stems from his background: Sierra grew up in a poor Tucson neighborhood… Read More
Texas Economy Would Collapse if Immigrants Left,’ Says U.S. Businessman
As a businessman and humanitarian, John Kafka sees a dire need for immigration reform. As CEO of Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, a Houston-based company with 700 employees, he struggles to find and maintain a dedicated, legal workforce. As board chair of Catholic Charities in Houston, he has watched immigrants… Read More
Immigrants Are to Thank for San Antonio’s Dynamic Business Growth Says Chamber of Commerce Chair
“I’m one of three doctors in my family,” says Dr. Esteban Lopez. “Well, we like to joke that we have two real doctors and then a dentist.” The internist and pediatrician comes from a family of six children, all of whom have at least an undergraduate education. It’s a fact… Read More
Contractor Sees Firsthand How Draconian Immigrant Laws Hurt Arizona’s Economy
In 2012, Luis de la Cruz was at a banquet in Washington, D.C., being held to recognize minority-owned businesses. But when guests learned that he was from Arizona, they walked away in disgust. The state’s recently enacted anti-immigration bill had poisoned his reputation. “The only thing that happens” when… Read More
World Health Day: How Immigrants are Helping to Keep America Healthy
Today marks World Health Day, and for the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) will use the day to focus on spreading awareness for a disease that affects approximately 350 million people worldwide: diabetes. WHO is using a superhero-esque ‘Stay Super, Beat Diabetes’ theme to educate the public about… Read More
Iowa City Councilwoman Says Immigration Reform Helps Economy and Can Help End Cycle of Abuse
Sara Monroy-Huddleston, a Mexican immigrant and the first Latina woman to run for Iowa’s State House of Representatives, spent years at a local domestic violence agency where she witnessed the systemic obstacles immigrant women faced when trying to escape their abusers. “They face not only domestic violence,” she says. “They… Read More
Immigration Policy Stifled the Athletic Ambitions of One of Florida’s Most Promising Tennis Players
Adrian Escarate was three years old when he arrived in Miami from Santiago, Chile with his parents and older brother. The family overstayed their tourist visas and never tried to establish permanent residency. This was in the 1990s when life was manageable for undocumented immigrants. Escarate’s parents were able to… Read More
Dr. Miriam Perez: Cleveland Clinic Depends on Immigrants to be World Leader in Medicine
Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Miriam Perez moved from her native Colombia to the United States to study neurosurgery. Then, 29 weeks after getting pregnant, she went into premature labor. “At that time, survival without real complications was unheard of,” she says. But after two months in intensive care, her son… Read More
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