Center for Immigration Studies

Center for Immigration Studies

‘Companies Appreciate Immigrants,’ Says Colombian Process Engineer

‘Companies Appreciate Immigrants,’ Says Colombian Process Engineer

When new immigrant Diana Valenzuela gets her English up to speed, the United States will be lucky. Back in her native Colombia, she spent 10 years as a process engineer at a leather factory, supervising production and designing the leather finish for shoes, belts, and other products. Afterward, she spent… Read More

Most Christian Ministries Embrace Call to Love the Stranger

Most Christian Ministries Embrace Call to Love the Stranger

Rev. Moses Lin’s greatest joy is serving the congregants of his 100-member church, Christian Evangelical Mission International, in Queens, New York. “Serving God is what makes me most proud. Helping people to improve their quality of life is what I like best,” says Rev. Lin, whose given first name is… Read More

Without Migrant Labor, Shrimp Processor Forced to Cut U.S. Workers’ Hours

Without Migrant Labor, Shrimp Processor Forced to Cut U.S. Workers’ Hours

Richard Gollott first started having trouble finding American oyster shuckers in the 1970s. A third-generation oyster processor, Gollott had watched his father and grandfather easily hire young Americans, at least for a few seasons before they headed to college or another career. But by the 1960s, when Gollott assumed… Read More

Immigrants Welcomed to Community and Give Back to Community, Says Kentucky Faith Leader

Immigrants Welcomed to Community and Give Back to Community, Says Kentucky Faith Leader

The immigrant community in Henderson is small, but it is growing faster than any other group. The county’s Hispanic and Latino community, for example, increased by 0.5 percentage points between 2010 and 2016, according to the United States Census Bureau. That might not sound like a lot… Read More

In America, Rwandan Refugee Gains a Voice and Creates Jobs

In America, Rwandan Refugee Gains a Voice and Creates Jobs

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Rubens Mukunzi runs a Buffalo-based newspaper, where he writes, edits, and meets with advertisers. After a one-hour break for dinner, the Rwandan refugee starts his shift at a cleaning company, where he works until midnight. The hours are long, but Mukunzi… Read More

Councilwoman: Remember How Country Was Built

Councilwoman: Remember How Country Was Built

First-term City Councilwoman Diane Gibson entered New Mexico politics after a 28-year career at Sandia National Laboratories, where she worked as a prototype machinist and an environmental security and health coordinator. As a recent retiree, she entered public service to address poverty and help the city thrive economically. Gibson believes… Read More

National Nurse's Day: The Role of Immigrant Nurses in America

National Nurse’s Day: The Role of Immigrant Nurses in America

The U.S. healthcare system is in demand. Our study showed that for every healthcare worker seeking a job, there are 4.4 jobs listed for the field, ranging from occupational therapists to surgeons. And while the healthcare industry’s job openings offer opportunities for workers, they raise concerns… Read More

Migrant Worker Shortage Threatens Jobs and a Louisiana Way of Life

Migrant Worker Shortage Threatens Jobs and a Louisiana Way of Life

It was late May, six weeks after Gary Bauer was scheduled to start processing blue crab at his Louisiana plant, and the 58-year-old seafood processor was scrambling to figure out how he was going to stay in business. It was a struggle with wide implications. The livelihood of both his… Read More

Alabama Pastor: Immigrants ‘Will Give All They Have’

Alabama Pastor: Immigrants ‘Will Give All They Have’

Raul Dominguez, the associate pastor of First United Methodist Church in Cullman, Alabama, has moved his family from Mexico to the United States three times to comply with visa regulations. Throughout, he has remained deeply committed to serving the faith community in his small, north-central Alabama town. “The call that… Read More

After a Devastating Hurricane, a Gulf Coast Entrepreneur Builds Community through Media

After a Devastating Hurricane, a Gulf Coast Entrepreneur Builds Community through Media

In 2004, Hurricane Ivan changed the course of Grace Resendez McCaffery’s life. The granddaughter of Mexican-American immigrants had worked as the director of public relations for the Pensacola chapter of the Red Cross. This became a crucial professional experience when the hurricane ravaged the Florida coast, and Spanish-speaking workers poured… Read More

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