Stories
By Helping New Immigrants, Argentinian Helps Washington State
When Mabel Lorenzi arrived in the United States from Uruguay to pursue a master’s degree in biochemistry in 1968, she received a warm welcome that helped her overcome the challenges of being a new immigrant. Lorenzi was a Fulbright Scholar, a program run by the U.S. Department of State to… Read More
Republican Senator: My State’s Economy Needs Immigration Reform
Before becoming a United States senator in 2015, Thom Tillis led North Carolina’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives during a time when the state unemployment rate dropped after the Great Recession, from 10.4 percent, in 2010, to 4.5 percent, in 2017. Now, however, the state is facing a… Read More
‘Imagine the Growth’ that Legalizing Immigrants Would Bring, Says Policy Analyst
“Immigrants have such great economic potential,” says Mexican-born economist and healthcare consultant Luis Arzaluz. “They come here, they learn the language — they buy cars — and they could contribute even more.” Why did he mention buying cars? Because Arzaluz has the automotive industry to thank for his U.S. citizenship. Read More
Pakistani Aid Worker is Citizen of the World but Calls Oregon Home
When Amarah Khan arrived at the Houston airport from Pakistan as a fresh-faced 23-year-old student, immigration officials detained and questioned her for five hours, she says. “You can imagine what a rude awakening this was for me. This was my first time on a plane, and I thought I was… Read More
Head of Hispanic Leadership Council Makes Economic Case for Reform
Greg Torrales first moved to South Carolina in 2007 to work as a translator and help immigrants navigate the healthcare industry. Today he is the director of the South Carolina Hispanic Leadership Council (SCHLC), which provides social services for the state’s Hispanic residents. “Before I moved to South Carolina, I… Read More
Bangladeshi Uses an Overseas Education to Fight for Worker Rights in U.S.
Farook Hossain has a master’s degree in political science and was working as a medical clinic director in Bangladesh when he won a green card through the diversity lottery. He gave it all up to move to America, in 2001, and was soon working for $5 an hour at a… Read More
Once an Undocumented Child, Now He Educates Virginia’s Youth
Sal Romero Jr. came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico when he was 13 years old. Today, he is a citizen and serves on the Virginia Board of Education and as the first-ever Coordinator of Family and Community Engagement for Harrisonburg City Public Schools. It is… Read More
Child of Immigrant Shopkeepers is a Powerful Force for Small Businesses
Ron Kim grew up working in his parents’ small grocery store in New York City. The family had immigrated to the United States from South Korea in 1987, when Kim was 7 years old. “I saw my parents, both of them, work nonstop,” he says, noting that the store was… Read More
After Decade in U.S., Still No Visa for Successful Startup Founder
Chris Choi has a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a master’s degree in investments and securities from Pace University. He also co-founded a growing company called Spryfit, a reward-based fitness app that uses cash prizes and other rewards to… Read More
Immigration Policy Doesn’t Succeed When Politically Driven, Says Tennessee Lawyer
Casey Bryant grew up in Springdale, Arkansas, home to the largest population of Marshallese people in the continental United States. Most Americans probably aren’t familiar with these Pacific Islanders, but 4,300 of them live in Bryant’s landlocked hometown. “The Marshall Islands were subject to thermonuclear experiments in the ‘40s and… Read More
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