Missouri, District 1
Editorial: Immigration reform needed
Yes, Wisconsin needs immigrants — and the nation needs immigration reform. Current policies and proposals to reduce immigration or deport undocumented workers fly in the face of what the nation needs to maintain a healthy economy. That’s especially true in places like rural Wisconsin, as a coalition of Wisconsin business… Read More
St. Louis Lawyer Sees Businesses Falter When Immigration Policy Blocks Foreign Hires
A senior partner at Polsinelli, a law firm in St. Louis, Doreen Dodson often works with American businesses that want to hire talented foreign nationals. “Many of these companies want international employees with a specialized skill set, ranging from medical technologists and computer scientists to professional winemakers,” she says. Read More
“Painful” How U.S. Immigration Policy Sends Talent Abroad, Says Leader of St. Louis Regional Chamber
Joe Reagan first became aware of the important role immigrants play in economic growth during his tenure as president of Greater Louisville, Inc., the city’s chamber of commerce. “I saw that welcoming people from all over the world was key to our economic and social success,” he says. Today, Reagan… Read More
Director of Startup Accelerator Turns to Immigrant Entrepreneurs to Boost St. Louis Economy
“I wish more people had experience working with immigrant entrepreneurs,” says Ginger Imster. “Once you’ve witnessed their talent and passion, there is simply no doubt they’re a positive addition to our communities.” Imster knows this well. She is the executive director of Arch Grants, a nonprofit organization that provides $50,000… Read More
This Japanese Immigrant Helps Immigrant Businesses Contribute $170 Million to the St. Louis Economy Yearly
During her 38 years as president and CEO of the International Institute of St. Louis, Anna Crosslin has seen how immigrants and refugees have made significant contributions to the city with the right support. The Institute serves 7,500 immigrants and refugees from more than 80 countries, providing language and citizenship… Read More
Immigrant from South India Helps Walmart Thrive
Zakir Syed would never have imagined that by age 37, he would be working at a high-level job at Walmart, one of the largest employers in Arkansas. Growing up in Karnataka, a state in southwestern India, he lived with his family in a small home without running water or a… Read More
The Dividends of Citizenship: Why Legalization Must Lead to Citizenship
The most concrete proposals for immigration reform thus far in 2013 include earned legalization with a path to U.S. citizenship for unauthorized immigrants already living in the United States. This is a process that essentially permits unauthorized immigrants to come forward and receive a provisional legal status that—after paying taxes, proving they understand English and civics, passing all criminal and other background checks, and showing they are committed to the United States—allows them to become lawful permanent residents (LPRs). From there, like other LPRs before them, they will have to decide whether or not to make the final commitment to their adopted country by becoming American citizens. Some critics of the new proposals argue that citizenship is too good for unauthorized immigrants, or that legal status is really all they need to thrive in this country. But that kind of short-sighted thinking ignores some very important facts: more than half a century ago the U.S. finally abandoned the idea that there should be a second-class status for any group by denying them citizenship and, in fact, today the vast majority of Americans support a path to citizenship. The integration of the 11 million unauthorized immigrants now living in the United States into full citizenship is not only good for those individuals, but the country as a whole. Citizenship, and the quest for citizenship, facilitates integration in myriad ways that legal status alone does not. From the learning of English and U.S. civics to the earning of higher incomes, serving jury duty, and voting in elections, citizens and would-be citizens benefit from a deeper form of incorporation into U.S. society than do legal immigrants who have no hope of ever applying for naturalization. Read More
Bibles, Badges, Business and Bush + DREAMers Make Immigration Reform Demands Known
While some thought the immigration reform talk immediately after the election was just chatter, a series of convenings and speeches this week demonstrate that the topic of broad immigration reform is on plenty of tables. From DREAMers to President Bush, the call for reform goes on. Read More
Did My Family Really Come “Legally”?
Many people assume that their family immigrated to the United States legally, or did it “the right way.” In most cases, this statement does not reflect the fact that the U.S. immigration system was very different in the past and that their families might not have been allowed to enter had today’s laws been in effect. Read More
The Myth of Immigrant Criminality and the Paradox of Assimilation
Because many immigrants to the United States, especially Mexicans and Central Americans, are young men who arrive with very low levels of formal education, popular stereotypes tend to associate them with higher rates of crime and incarceration. The fact that… Read More
- 1
- 2
Make a contribution
Make a direct impact on the lives of immigrants.
