State & Local Initiatives
They say all politics is local, right? While most of the debate about immigration focuses on congressional action (or inaction), state and local leaders have been leading the way in attracting, retaining and integrating new American communities for the past few decades.
Since 2014, the Council’s State & Local team, then New American Economy (NAE), has worked in more than 100 local communities across more than 35 states to support policymakers, businesses, and civic leaders who recognize the myriad economic, cultural, and civic contributions immigrants and refugees make. Through economic research, technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning, and advocacy opportunities we help our partners champion policies and programs that create jobs, spur innovation, and drive economic growth for all Americans.
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Office of New Americans (ONA) State Network
Together with World Education Services (WES) Global Talent Bridge, the Council co-convenes the Office of New Americans (ONA) State Network, a group of state policy leaders committed to coordinating and implementing state-wide immigrant integration initiatives. The Council and WES provide technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and tailored research on the economic benefits of immigrant integration efforts.
State Compact & Business Coalitions
Since 2019, the Council—then NAE—has launched and reaffirmed eight business-led State Compacts on Immigration, and oversees business coalitions in Texas, Colorado, and Ohio. Each Compact is a set of principles that the state’s business community believes should guide the debate around immigration reform. Our State Coalitions are coordinated efforts to deploy the Compact in educating, promoting, and advocating for federal and state level immigration policies that strengthen our economy and attract international talent.
Global Talent Chamber Network (GTCN)
The Global Talent Chamber Network (GTCN) brings together chambers of commerce from across the country who see immigrant integration as an economic growth strategy. Through this network, the Council offers tailored research on the local economic contributions of immigrants, briefings on the federal policy landscape, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities on strategies for integrating and attracting an immigrant workforce.
Gateways For Growth Challenge (G4G)
The Council, in partnership with Welcoming America, coordinates the Gateways for Growth (G4G) challenge, a competitive award opportunity for local governments, chambers of commerce, and non-profit organizations. G4G awardees receive customized economic research and individualized technical assistance to support the creation of a community-wide plan that outlines concrete strategies for leveraging the skills and contributions of all community residents.
Gateways for Growth
Gateways for Growth (G4G) awardees receive customized research reports that highlight the economic and demographic impact of immigrants locally, including their tax contributions and spending power, roles in the local labor force, population and demographic trends, and other key information. See below for our latest G4G research reports.
