North Carolina, District 7
The Economic Cost of Colorado’s Anti-Sanctuary Ballot Initiative
Colorado voters may be asked to consider a ballot initiative this fall that would prohibit local governments, state agencies, school boards, and universities from adopting so-called “sanctuary” policies. If the Colorado Federal Immigration Law Compliance Initiative (#169) is adopted, there could be significant economic cost to the state. Using… Read More
Long Beach Post: Long Beach Receives National Research Award to Study Economic Impact of Immigrant Population
Long Beach has received a research award to study the local impact of its immigrant and refugee population, city officials announced Wednesday.= The award is part of the 2017 Gateways for Growth (G4G) Challenge, an annual competitive opportunity launched in 2015 for local communities to gain tailored research, direct technical… Read More
California Student Uses DACA Status To Start a Business
As soon as Ovier Alvarez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was granted the right to legally work in the United States, he started a photography business. Alvarez is a Dreamer, one of roughly 800,000 who has so far received protection under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a 2012 policy… Read More
This Family Came to Down East Maine as Migrant Workers, but Left their Mark as Entrepreneurs
When Juana Rodriguez Vazquez moved to the United States at age four, her father was already something of a go-getter. For years, he’d been spending time in the United States—traveling from state to state as a migrant laborer, following the blueberries and oranges that were ripening in the fields. By… Read More
Improving the Naturalization Process: Better Immigrant Integration Leads to Economic Growth
Anyone who has ever attended a naturalization ceremony cannot help but be moved by the power of the moment. The participants enter as men, women, and children of diverse countries, but leave the room as citizens of one—the United States. For many, the path to that naturalization ceremony has been long and arduous, irrespective of whether they entered the United States as wealthy entrepreneurs or as refugees with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The process of obtaining lawful permanent resident (LPR) status, and ultimately U.S. citizenship, is often daunting. A new country, new rules, high costs, and little targeted support for new immigrants makes what should be a journey of exploration and opportunity one that may be frustrating and lonely. Consequently, in order to focus on ways to improve the naturalization process itself, we must take a step back and consider the nature of immigrant integration in the United States. The better our integration policies—and the sooner they begin—the more likely we are to improve the rate of naturalization. Read More
Make a contribution
Make a direct impact on the lives of immigrants.
