Last Thursday, members of Philadelphia’s immigrant community made their presence felt through their absence, joining thousands in cities around the country for a walkout that forced the closure of businesses that rely on their labor.
Then Tuesday, as fierce debate continued to swirl around the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict travel to the United States and ramp up deportations of undocumented immigrants, Philadelphia joined a national campaign to underscore the impact that immigrants have on the American economy.
Led by the nonpartisan New American Economy, an alliance of mayors and business leaders committed to immigration reform, the “Map the Impact” initiative presents an interactive map with local data on the immigrant community in each U.S. Congressional district, as well as at the state and metro area levels.
“This new research proves what we’ve known for years in Philadelphia: immigrants are an asset to our local economy and every community in America,” said Miriam Enriquez, director of Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “Real, substantive and thoughtful immigration policies from Washington would only benefit our country and our city.”
Read the full story from PhillyVoice: “Philadelphia reveals local immigrants’ stamp on ‘Map the Impact’ campaign”
