State and Local Initiatives
They say all politics is local, right? While most of the debate about immigration focuses on congressional action (or inaction), local communities across the country are the ones who feel the value of immigration most tangibly. Now active in more than 50 communities – more than 80 percent of which are in conservative states – the NAE State & Local team works with policymakers, business, and civic leaders to promote policies and programs that help create jobs and drive economic growth. You can explore more of our work on the state and local level here.
Mexican Immigrant Builds Automotive Business from the Group Up
Joaquin Cordero met his wife while working in Cancun, and moved with her in 1998 to Boise, her hometown. He had earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in Mexico, but did not have U.S. licensure and spoke only Spanish. So he went to work as an auto technician. “When… Read More
Laotian Refugee, Entrepreneur, and PhD Candidate Calls Boise Home
When Palina Louangketh was three years old, her mother walked her and her brother into a field after a family dinner and kept going. They were escaping Laos, and would walk for two and a half weeks, always at night to evade communist patrols. During the day they hid or… Read More
Foreign-Born Residents Paid $430 Million in Taxes in Louisville in 2016
LOUISVILLE, KY – Immigrants in the Louisville metro area paid $430 million in taxes in 2016, including $282 million in federal taxes and $148 million in state and local taxes, according to a new report by New American Economy (NAE), released in partnership with the Louisville Mayor’s Office for… Read More
Demand for Bilingual Jobs in Arkansas Nearly Doubled in Five Years, New Study Shows
LITTLE ROCK, AR – Today, New American Economy (NAE) joins Arkansas business leaders and education advocates to support the creation of a state Seal of Biliteracy program as a resolution to establish the Seal is discussed at the Arkansas Department of Education’s State Board Meeting. A new report… Read More
Sioux City Journal: Report: Immigration fuels metro Sioux City’s recent population growth
Foreign-born newcomers accounted for more than 75 percent of metro Sioux City’s population growth between 2010 and 2015, a new report shows. The number of immigrants in the metro area were estimated at 14,817 in 2015, or 8.8 percent of the combined population of 169,069 for Plymouth and Woodbury counties… Read More
Immigrants in Siouxland Contribute Millions to Regional GDP and Play an Integral Role in the Local Workforce
SIOUX CITY, IA – Immigrants in Iowa’s Plymouth and Woodbury counties contributed $522.2 million to GDP and held $137.7 million in spending power in 2015, according to a new research brief released by New American Economy in partnership with One Siouxland. The report highlights the demographic and economic contributions… Read More
Immigrant from Somalia Starts His Own Business While Working Shifts at Tyson
Mohamed Warsame began at Tyson’s Dakota City plant as a meat cutter, but, lacking knife skills, was soon assigned to pack and lift boxes. “They say, ‘We will know if you are really hardworking guy,’” he says, laughing. Now, seven years later, Warsame has cross-trained at every job on the… Read More
Immigrant and Community Leader from Mexico Gives Back to the Community that Raised Her
Balbina Valadez has been working with nonprofits since she graduated from high school, providing information on healthcare services, interpreting for immigrants, and conducting research on a range of issues. “I’m one of those people that likes to learn a lot of things,” she says. “And I like to help… Read More
Vietnamese Immigrant Wants to Help Her Community for Future Generations
Like so many Vietnamese people, Joanne Nguyen has lived a life shaped by American foreign policy. When she was born, in 1966, U.S. troops were already engaged in the ground war and her father, an English professor in Saigon, had been drafted into the South Vietnamese Army to assist U.S. Read More
Foreign-Born Residents Contributed Over $564 Million to Warren County’s GDP in 2016
BOWLING GREEN, KY – Immigrants in Warren County contributed $564.3 million to the county’s GDP in 2016 and paid $43 million in federal taxes and $21.1 million in state and local taxes, according to a new research brief by New American Economy (NAE), in partnership with the City… Read More
Make a contribution
Make a direct impact on the lives of immigrants.
