North Carolina, District 13
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
Pork Industry Could Face Shutdowns Without Immigrant Labor
U.S. pork producers add $39 billion annually to the nation’s economy and support 550,000 jobs. But maintaining this output is a struggle, says the industry, due to critical labor shortages. Without a viable workforce, “production costs will continue to increase, leading to higher food prices for consumers,”… Read More
Long-Time HR Manager Could Lose Own Job Without DACA Fix
As the human resources manager for a Greensboro, North Carolina, company, Laura Garduño García has had to tell many job applicants that she cannot hired them if they are unauthorized to work in the United States. But there’s a twist: While she has lived in North Carolina for the past… 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.
