Stories
From coding to coaching — an immigrant entrepreneur makes it his mission to help the next generation succeed
Rashaad Bajwa arrived in the United States when he was 3 years old. Learning English was easy, given his age. And his parents, educated in British schools in Pakistan, spoke English at home. But he still lived the immigrant experience. “I still am,” he says. “Even though I grew up… Read More
Immigrant restaurateur gives back to the community through Lebanese cuisine
Gus Sleiman’s family left their homeland in 1989 to escape the Lebanese Civil War, a 15-year conflict that killed an estimated 150,000 people and displaced another 900,000 — about one-fifth of the population. Sleiman was 16. The family moved to Michigan then New York and, while visiting a church in… Read More
New Americans in Middlesex County
New research from New American Economy shows that immigrants held $9.4 billion in spending power — 42.8 percent of the total spending power in the county — and contributed more than $4 billion in taxes in 2018. The report, New Americans in Middlesex County, was prepared in partnership with… Read More
Economic Cost of Kentucky Senate Bill 1
Kentucky State Senator Danny Carroll recently introduced Senate Bill 1, which has been identified as a top priority for the chamber in 2020. The bill, which would effectively force local law enforcement agents to become federal immigration agents, would also punish local government entities and public colleges and universities that… Read More
The Economic Costs for U.S. States Who Opt Out of Refugee Resettlement
In late September, the Trump Administration issued an executive order that requires state and local governments to give written consent to accept refugees. If a state or a locality fails to submit such consent before January 21, agencies will be unable to resettle refugees in those jurisdictions. Read More
Midwestern Cities Take the Lead in Welcoming Immigrants
Which city is the best at integrating immigrants into the fabric of American life? This year, according to the NAE Cities Index, it’s the epicenter of the Midwest, Chicago. According to this year’s results, Chicago is an exemplary case when it comes to policies that support immigrants. It is… Read More
Veterans Day: The Contributions of Immigrant Service People
Today is Veterans Day, a day that began as Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I, and that was set aside every year thereafter to observe peace. After the Korean War, the date officially became a day to honor all military… Read More
New Americans in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
New research from New American Economy shows that immigrants accounted for 47.1 percent of total population growth in Cedar Rapids between 2012 and 2017. The report, New Americans in Cedar Rapids, was prepared in partnership with the City of Cedar Rapids and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. In… Read More
Lebanese immigrant ensures newcomers have opportunities in Cedar Rapids, IA
When Salma Igram arrived in the United States, she was 18 years old and had never seen a calculator or a hamburger, “let alone a hot dog,” she says. But there she was in her husband’s fast-food restaurant, Jimbo’s, working the griddle and mastering the cash register. “My husband would… Read More
Immigrant credits English language and training opportunities as critical to his success
Tony Golobic jokes that he got his first job in America —cleaning oil-fired boilers —because no one else wanted to do it. “The boilers were red hot, the work was dangerous and dirty,” he says. “But I was making really good money, a lot more money than I ever imagined. Read More
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