Stories
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
The Cost of Removing Optional Practical Training for STEM Graduates
Workers who possess training or skills in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) are some of the most sought after segments of the labor market. Chronic shortages of specialized, high-skilled workers have been making headlines in the United States for nearly a decade, even… Read More
Immigrant Entrepreneur Opens Doors for Innovation and Design in Wayne County
At times during the First Liberian Civil War, young Andreas Browne got on his knees and prayed for the opportunity to live. Now he calls his time in America his “second life.” Browne grew up in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia, on Africa’s western coast. His mother moved to… Read More
New Americans in Wayne County
New research from New American Economy shows that immigrants contributed more than $10.5 billion to Wayne County’s GDP in 2017. The report, New Americans in Wayne County, was prepared in partnership with the Office of Wayne County Executive and Wayne United. In addition to their financial contributions, which… Read More
Immigrant Engineer Driven By a Call to Serve His Country and Community
Kamal AlSawafy was 9 years old when he arrived in Dearborn in 1997. Three years earlier, his family had fled Iraq, where his father, a construction worker, risked imprisonment and torture for his failure to support then-President Saddam Hussein. Now they had been granted refugee status and joined family in… Read More
The New “Public Charge” Rule and Its Negative Impact on the U.S. Economy
Updated on February 2, 2021 In July 2019, the Trump Administration enacted a new “public charge” rule that effectively barred millions of working-age, aspiring immigrants from being able to come to America and gain permanent residency, as well as millions more immigrants already working legally in key industries in the… Read More
Peruvian American Helps New Orleans Rebuild, Mentors Young Construction Workers
There was no shortage of construction work in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. But as thousands of migrant workers — many from Spanish-speaking countries — poured into the city, reputable local contractors who could maintain high standards amid the dizzying pace were at a premium. Among those who came… Read More
New Americans in Genesee County
Read the Report: New Americans in Genesee County Download Now New research from New American Economy shows that immigrants paid more than $100 million in taxes in Genesee County, Michigan in 2017. The report, New Americans in Genesee County, was prepared… Read More
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