Center for Immigration Studies

Tanzanian-Born Entrepreneur: Immigrants Aren’t Just “Giving Back to the Country, We Are Very Much a Part of the Country”
Abbas Bandali and his younger brother lived nearly parallel lives: They were both born and raised in Tanzania and attended school in England. But afterwards, Bandali’s younger brother returned to Tanzania, and Bandali ventured into an unknown future in America. “I can very easily compare and contrast my life and… Read More

Prep for Florida’s Dem and GOP Debates: Immigrants in the Sunshine State
Results are in from yesterday’s primaries in Idaho, Hawaii, Michigan, and Mississippi, and today the presidential hopefuls head south to the Sunshine State for more debating. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders square off tonight at Miami Dade College (#DemDebate), while the remaining Republican candidates will face each other… Read More

America Needs Immigrant Scientists To Retain Its Competitive Edge: ‘Our Growth Is Constrained,’ Says Ohio Businessman
Dr. Ayman Salem is a metals engineer, though you won’t see him in a welding mask, standing amid flying sparks. His domain is the laboratory, where he examines nickel, titanium and steel alloys at the atomic level. “If we can understand how these metals are built, we can predict how… Read More

Immigration Reform Is ‘Fundamental to My Company,’ Says Finance Firm CEO
In 2013, Manu Smadja received an email from a desperate junior at his alma mater, the University of Virginia. The mechanical engineering major was $500 short on rent and about to get evicted, which would force him to drop out. In a last-ditch effort, he emailed Smadja asking… Read More

Weekend Reading: Highlights from this week’s immigration news (February 29 – March 4)
This video from CNN illustrates the hiring challenges American dairy farmers face on their farms and the vital role that migrant workers play in filling job vacancies. “I cannot get local workers to do the jobs that these guys are doing, and every other dairy farmer will say… Read More

Immigration System Stands Between Doctor and Co-Founder of Revolutionary Health Technology and His Company
Platelets, the smallest of our blood cells, are critical to our survival. Key to wound healing, they stop us from bleeding out when we get a cut and are used in medical procedures ranging from surgery to cancer treatment. “Platelets are the Band-Aids of the bloodstream,” explains Argentine native Dr. Read More

Business Accelerator Executive Says Immigrants Add “Massive Societal and Economic Value” to U.S. Economy
Marc Nager believes that humans are hardwired for entrepreneurship. “With the right support, almost anyone can start their own business,” he says. And he should know: As the Chief Community Officer at Techstars, “a global ecosystem that helps entrepreneurs build great businesses,” Nager has helped… Read More

Immigration System “Has Not Kept Up with the Times” Says Successful Korean-Born Lawyer
“Immigrants—the risk takers and the entrepreneurs—built this country and made America great,” says Sung Je Lee. “But today’s immigration system doesn’t acknowledge that history at all, and the United States loses job creators every year.” Lee, who is originally from South Korea but grew up in Indonesia, first came to… Read More

Immigrant Entrepreneur Develops Training Program that Boosts Student Salaries by $30,000 a Year
Mexican immigrant and entrepreneur Liliana Monge knows that in today’s economy tech skills help individuals thrive in the workforce. Yet access to quality tech training is often limited, leaving low-income and minority students behind. Recognizing this disparity, Monge and her husband, Gregorio Rojas, founded Sabio, a software engineering training program… Read More

Immigrants in Michigan: Host State of This Week’s GOP & Democrat Debates
This week, the remaining presidential candidates will head to Michigan for their respective party debates. Tonight, Republicans take the stage at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, while Democrats will go head to head in Flint on Sunday. These debates come just before Michigan and Mississippi residents cast their votes in… Read More
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