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.
“Gateways for Growth Challenge” to Highlight, Enhance Immigrants’ Economic Contributions
In December 2015, the Partnership for a New American Economy (PNAE) and Welcoming America put out an open call for applications from chambers of commerce, local governments, and civil society organizations across the United States to participate in the Gateways for Growth Challenge. Through… 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
Tennessee Needs Carlos
Tennessee needs more doctors, and college is first step to med school. But undocumented students who graduate from Tennessee high schools don’t qualify for in-state tuition. Let’s give them the chance to pay their way to college. Let’s give Carlos his shot at the American Dream. Read More
National Volunteer Week: How Much Do Immigrants Volunteer?
Yesterday marked the beginning of this year’s National Volunteer Week (#NVW2016), which was first established in 1974. Volunteering has had a rich history in America, with the United States boasting one of the highest rates of volunteerism worldwide. Volunteering has long been shown to bring stability to… 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
Texas Immigration Attorney Sees Firsthand How Immigration Policy Stifles North Texas Economy
Ann Massey Badmus has spent over 22 years working in immigration law. Her greatest takeaway from over two decades of experience? The national conversation surrounding immigration does not represent what she sees every single day. “We keep hearing more and more rhetoric that immigration is bad,” Badmus says. “Why are… Read More
Richard Estrada Wants Immigration Reform So Latinos Like His American-Born Son Aren’t Racially Profiled
Border tensions are an inescapable fact of life in Tucson, the city where Richard Estrada grew up and has spent most of his life. “We are a foot away from Mexico,” Estrada says. Everything about life in Tucson is shaped by the negative “us versus them” rhetoric around immigration—even in… Read More
PNAE Highlights from 2015
2015 was a busy year for PNAE! Immigration reform won’t be achieved with one argument or by one party. So we’ve been busy shining a light on how immigration affects every sector of our economy — from agriculture, to technology, to housing and manufacturing. Fixing this broken system will spur… Read More
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No one should face the immigration system alone