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.
Louisianan Says it’s the Strangers Who Make His Town Home
Chris Wade cares about the people of Monroe, Louisiana. He was born there, raised there, and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology there, from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He’s also spent a significant portion of his adult life volunteering in and around the city: driving a truck for… Read More
Immigrants Bring an Alabama Town Back to Life
Ashley Cummins has lived in Russellville, Alabama, her entire life. When she was young, the downtown area was “full of people in the streets and in the shops,” she says. Slowly, though, the once-popular shopping district transformed into “a ghost town.” “People just didn’t have the time and money to… Read More
After Accepting Immigrants, Kentucky Thrives
Since the city of Owensboro, Kentucky, began helping immigrants and refugees secure employment and affordable housing, something has happened: the local economy has grown 6 percent and unemployment has dropped to one of the lowest rates in the state. “A lot of these folks are entrepreneurs at heart,” says Joe… Read More
Refugees Learn English — Then Buoy Kentucky Economy
It’s been four decades since Skip Cleavinger moved to Bowling Green to study at Western Kentucky University, and in that time he has witnessed a significant shift in the demographics of west-central Kentucky. A local refugee resettlement program and a livable community — with job opportunities, strong schools, and a… Read More
‘Just Give Them a Meal,’ Says Pakistani-American Whose Restaurant Feeds the Homeless
When Kazi Mannan threw a grand opening party for Sakina Halal Grill, his Pakistani-Indian restaurant in Washington, D.C., his friends were surprised that they weren’t included on the guest list. Did he ditch them for a bunch of high-ranking politicos? No. The VIPs were all homeless. After serving his homeless… Read More
New Americans in Buffalo and Syracuse
New American Economy (NAE) released a report documenting the critical impact immigrants have on the Upstate economies of Buffalo and Syracuse through their contribution to population growth, high rates of workforce participation, large tax contributions, and spending power. This report was released in conjunction with the launch of Map the Impact—an NAE… Read More
New Study on Buffalo and Syracuse Shows the Economic Power of Immigrants
Upstate, NY – Today, New American Economy (NAE) released a report documenting the critical impact immigrants have on the Upstate economies of Buffalo and Syracuse through their contribution to population growth, high rates of workforce participation, large tax contributions, and spending power. This report was released in conjunction with… Read More
Retiree to Immigrants: Prescott, Arizona, is ‘Everybody’s Home Town’
Every Friday in Prescott, Arizona, retiree Dennis Duvall stands in the town center holding an 8-foot-long red banner that proclaims “Immigrants and Refugees Are Welcome.” “Immigration has been a big issue here in Arizona,” Duvall explains. “Because of our border here with Mexico, it has been virtually divisive. Arizona is… Read More
Immigrants Bring Creative and Economic Capital
To Dominican Republic native Pamela Gomez, the reason immigrants help the economy is a no-brainer. “We are so creative, and we come with cultural and economic capital, with so many different understandings,” she says. Gomez, a graduate student in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of South Florida,… Read More
A Multigenerational Path of Migration Leads to Jobs in Florida
Bombay native Sarvar Demehri arrived in the United States in 1981 alongside her husband, an electrical engineer who worked for a NASA subcontractor. She was just 21, and fresh out of college. A few years later, the pair opened their own business in Florida, a company dedicated to home security… Read More
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